Evening with Albion legend in Horsham

The former centre half now works for Albion in the Community (AITC) and the charity has teamed up with Horsham-based supporters group North West Sussex Seagulls to hold the fundraiser, which will take place at the Holbrook Club in North Heath Lane on February 17.

The evening will see Butters and fellow former Seagulls star Gary O’Reilly interviewed by well-known football commentator Peter Brackley. Brackley will talk to the players about their careers and tease out interesting stories from their time at the Albion before taking questions from the audience.

Butters is a popular figure among Albion fans and was part of the Seagulls’ play off winning team of 2004. He clocked up more than 600 senior appearances in a career which took in Tottenham Hotspur, Portsmouth, Gillingham and the Albion and saw him play alongside all-time English greats like Chris Waddle, Paul Gascoigne and Gary Lineker.

O’Reilly played more than 100 times for Brighton during two spells at the club in the 1980s and early 1990s. He was sold to arch rivals Crystal Palace in 1987 and scored for the Eagles in the FA Cup final against Manchester United in the 1989-90 season.

He retired from football in 1993 and began a career in broadcasting but the Albion were never far from his thoughts. In 1997 he convinced Sky to let him cover Brighton’s Fans United fixture against Hartlepool at the Goldstone Ground and he has always-enjoyed a good relationship with Brighton supporters. As a broadcaster he has worked for Sky, the BBC and a host of other channels as well as appearing on the BBC Five Live’s popular radio show Fighting Talk.

AITC ambassador Jadey Yesilada will also be in attendance. He will offer an insight into the charity’s work – in particular his own involvement with AITC. Jadey, who plays for the Seagulls’ powerchair team, helped raise more than £200,000 by fronting a fundraising campaign that saw him complete both the Brighton Marathon and AITC’s Brighton to Paris cycle challenge despite being in a wheelchair.

Entry is £5 and includes a ticket to a prize draw on the night, with one lucky supporter winning a signed Brighton & Hove Albion shirt.

Took book a place email: [email protected]

Report contributed by Albion in the Community.