Something brilliant has been transpiring on the south coast of England in the small city of Brighton and Hove. Brighton and Hove Albon F.C have not only transformed their fortunes on the football pitch in the said decade and a half, in no small part to their fantastic chairman TonyBloom but also added value to their local economy off the pitch thanks to their on-field success.
Tony Bloom’s era began in League One and Brighton currently finds itself among the premier league regulars with strong finances grounded in a shrewd transfer policy that would be the envy of any club across the premier league. The ethos of scouting young players, who have the potential to be world-beaters and giving them a platform to achieve just that in the world’s most popular league and then shipping them off to the bigger clubs for exorbitant price tags has been a phenomenal success. They have sold Ben White (50 million£), Marc Cucurella (55 million£ + 7 million£ in add-ons) and Moises Caicedo (100 million£ + 15 million£ in add-ons) in just the last three years. Their squad is brimming with multiple talents (Kaoru Mitoma, Evan Ferguson, Julio Enciso and many more) that could fetch similar sums in the coming years.
They have built up a setup to be able to identify the right coaches over the years to continue and build on the success they have had previously. When Graham Potter was lured away by Chelsea (not before having to pay a fat fee to Brighton), they found a replacement in Roberto De Zerbi, who has got Brighton playing so well that you would be forgiven for thinking that he has been there for the last decade.
They are already playing in European competition this season, what Brighton could achieve in the coming years is anybody’s guess but it would take a brave person to bet against them.
This is a case of how management at the top could completely transform any institution through long-term vision, a strong fundamental understanding of all areas of the business and passion for the project.
#BrightonandHoveAlbionFC #Football #Business #Transfers
Tony Bloom has been recognised for his services to football and the city of Brighton and Hove in the 2024 King's New Year Honours List. 👏
Well done!