The Adams effect on Albion odds

Actually, since the return of Micky Adams as manager the odds have tumbled '“ 20/1 is a good price and available with the club's official online bet partners.

Some Internet bookies may only offer you 14/1. But before you risk much of your hard-earned on a gamble, remember the others under orders. There are Leeds and Leicester for a start. Perhaps the equivalent of an each-way bet on promotion, with three going up, might be worth a punt?

Withdean isn't a popular place to visit for most of our rivals. The facilities are poor and the Away Supporters stand is horrendous. But the pitch is OK! Visiting managers and referees voted it the sixth best in League One. Praise goes to the groundsman, Steve Winterburn, and his hardworking staff. They have two more years at 'Fortress' Withdean and then it should be off to Falmer!

I frequently pass the field at Falmer alongside the A27, railway line and Brighton University. In just five months the big diggers should be in and they can't come soon enough.

Apparently there will be observation points so we should be able to keep an eye on progress.

So Euro 2008 has been and gone. This column's substitute favourites, Holland, unfortunately didn't make the semi-finals. The Seagulls' main link to the tournament was the ex-Albion man (AKA the Coca-Cola Kid) Colin Kazim-Richards, but Turkey, as predicted, didn't get past the efficient Germans.

At least we can be grateful that the best team won as Spain were triumphant. Perhaps we can claim credit and a link? Like Brighton, Spain is of course an English holiday resort!

Sponsor news at the Albion: SKINT has gone (the Seagulls' sponsor Fat Boy Sliml, AKA Norman Cook) and we await details of the new club sponsor. I liked being SKINT, it was somehow extremely appropriate! Our new benefactor is likely to be from the high tech modern world. I hope it will look good on the shirts, which will no doubt be number one on my Christmas wish list.

In memoriam '“ on this day, July 4, in 1997, the Goldstone Ground was finally demolished. The 96-year-old football arena was razed to the ground to make way for a retail park.

Here is Ray's column from last week that did not appear on our website. Apologies.

Coming up, and very soon at Withdean, is the testimonial for that great Albion servant Gary Hart. There is also the Brighton versus Charlton Athletic (now a Championship side) pre-season friendly. There will also be an Albion Legends match. And there's more, as it will be Micky Adams's first game back as manager. All this is on the one and the same day '“ Saturday July 26. Charlton have magnanimously allowed the ticket takings to go to Gary's testimonial fund. There should be a big crowd to welcome football back and say thank you to an Albion favourite. I'd put money on Gary (above) scoring a goal or two.

It is sad that our support for the "Oranje" failed to take them past the Russians. Remember that the Reds (playing in white!) were only at Euro 2008 by underhandedly beating us on their plastic pitch in Moscow. So with the Dutch departed, who do we support now?

At the time of writing, our Seagulls' connection, in the shape of Colin Kazim-Richards, continued. But with the efficiently effective Germans up next in the semis I'm afraid it was probably goodbye Turkey on Wednesday night!

Ex-Albion forward Kazim-Richards says Turkey's success is down to Fatih Terim. "The coach gives us belief; he is incredible," he said. I'm afraid Colin didn't ever say that about ex-Albion boss Mark McGhee, who didn't manage to get the best out of the London-born Turkey player.

The former Seagull is making the most of his Euro 2008 competition, being sought out for quotes by the British media who have latched onto him to maintain some English interest. It has certainly increased his profile which just might help if he returns to play his football back here.

The highest profile was that of Christiano Ronaldo, of course. I admit to being pleased with his, and Portugal's, exit from the tournament. If he talks his way to Real Madrid from Manchester United, wages of 200,000 per week were mentioned. That is just an obscene amount of money, around 10 million a year. Every five or six weeks he would become a millionaire again.

The 70 million price tag makes him more valuable than our new stadium at Falmer! Now that can't be right.

The latest news of our stadium came from Martin Perry recently. A major milestone was achieved when the tender documents went out to a shortlist of three major building contractors.

The Albion Chief Executive confirmed that he fully expects work to begin on the site at Falmer in December this year. Martin said "We will make an announcement on who will build our new stadium in September. We have always aimed to be on site by the end of the year and we will begin work in early December" '“ can't come too soon for me.

What about the credit crunch? Not a problem, apparently.

PriceWaterhouseCoopers are the financial advisors and Martin Perry says that the financial package will make it attractive to the banks. I understand that the club has received a lot of positive interest from top banks. Martin hopes to announce a preferred funding partner before the end of the year.

Back to the football! I mentioned the 2008-09 fixtures last week. The pre-season matches start with an additional fixture away to Irish side Athlone Town, of the Eircom First division, on Wednesday July 9. That is only a couple of weeks away, more or less straight after Wimbledon!

Then on Saturday, July 12, Brighton are at Worthing. Local interest will be high for the Seagulls' visit to the Dripping Pan to take on the Lewes Rooks on the following Saturday July 19 '“ kick-off 3pm.

League One starts at Crewe on Saturday, August 9. We are back to Withdean for Round One of the Carling Cup on Tuesday the 12th playing Barnet. Albion's first home league game is against Bristol Rovers on Saturday, August 16.

So it isn't long to wait. I suggest some serious Wimbledon watching will set us up for the return of the main game on the green grass. To whet the appetite I can say that Micky Adams has revealed he wants our team to play an attacking style next season. That he is looking forward to the games against Leeds and Leicester. That he expects a new forward to put Nicky Forster and Glenn Murray under pressure.

And that he is talking to a number of potential new players.