Goldstone Ground

The Goldstone Ground was a football stadium in Hove, East Sussex that was the home ground of Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. between 1902 and 1997.HistoryThe Goldstone Ground stood on Old Shoreham Road, Hove, opposite Hove Park in a partly residential area. The area was previously part of Goldstone Farm and was first used for a football match by Hove F.C. on 7 September 1901. Albion played there for the first time on 22 February 1902, and it became the club's permanent home the next season.The main West Stand was largely built in 1958 and consisted of seating and terraces. The South Stand was originally built in 1949 and served family spectators. The North Stand was built in 1984 and consisted solely of terraces. The East Stand was formed of uncovered terraces. Floodlights were first installed in 1961. The ground also hosted football games for the 1948 Olympic Games, one of only two grounds outside London (the other being Fratton Park).On 23 September 1992, David Beckham made his professional début at this stadium, coming on as a substitute for Manchester United in a League Cup second round tie.The ground was used as the home venue for both Tottenham Hotspur and Wimbledon during their ill-fated 1995 UEFA Intertoto Cup campaigns, where both clubs received season-long bans from European football by UEFA for fielding under-strength teams. The bans were overturned on appeal.