Brighton reject Brady

BRIGHTON revealed last night that they will reject former manager Liam Brady's bid to save the club.

As the English FA prepared to launch their inquiry into Saturday's riot, which led to the abandonment of the match with York after just 17 minutes, Brady offered to personally pay the £40,000 deposit needed to keep the club at the Goldstone Ground for one more season.

Brady is fronting a consortium, which wants to take over the running of the relegated second division club.

But in a statement issued through chief executive David Bellotti, Albion chairman Bill Archer said: "The offer is totally irrelevant and will not be accepted.

"It must be remembered that we can only stay at the Goldstone for one more season and will be in exactly the same position next year without planning support from Hove Borough Council."

Archer added that the riot had not deterred the club from their aim of building a multi-purpose stadium in the town, which will be fit for the 21st century.

Brady, replaced as Brighton manager by Jimmy Case five months ago, made his offer at a news conference staged opposite the ground yesterday. Brady said: "I am prepared, as are my colleagues, to put substantial money into the club. There are not many people prepared to invest money into a club which has just sold its ground and does not have a new one to play on.

"As a sign of good faith I am prepared immediately to provide the £40,000 deposit required at noon on Tuesday to guarantee the club stays at the Goldstone Ground. This of course would be returnable if negotiations with the board cannot be concluded.

"In the longer term, relations with the local community and authority need to be improved. I am confident that this can be done and can bring about a permanent location for a new stadium."

Brady, who admitted he would like to be involved in the running of the club, refused to name his financial backer. But he did say: "He's a local person, a long-time Albion supporter and a man of high business acumen."

Fans have stepped up their protest, angry with Brighton's proposals to ground share at Portsmouth next season, and the Football League have repeatedly warned the club that for this to be sanctioned, firm plans have to be in place for a return to the Brighton And Hove area.

The FA will open their inquiry into the riot this morning. Leslie Walker, the FA's head of security, saw at first hand the scenes at the Goldstone ground.

FA spokesman Steve Double believes that the invasion should not tarnish England's image, with Euro `96 only weeks away. "I don't see any parallels at Brighton with the European Championship," he said. "This was purely a local issue."