Football: Brighton close to securing temporary home

BRIGHTON and Hove Albion have taken another step towards playing at Withdean Stadium next season after two more Council committees gave them permission to become the new tenants of the athletics ground.

Earlier this week planners voted overwhelmingly in favour of the Third Division side's proposals to use the stadium as a temporary home, and a final decision will be made at a meeting of the Policy and Resources Committee a week today.

This is subject to the Government's decision whether or not to call a full public inquiry.

The leader of Brighton and Hove Council, Lord Bassam, is pushing for a quick decision to be made and doubts if the government will intervene.

Plymouth Argyle have been fined pounds 6,000 and warned to their future conduct by the Football Association after admitting operating a no-win lottery. The West Country club were found to be in breach of the FA's misconduct rule by a disciplinary commission in London.

An FA spokesman said: "Plymouth admitted they were guilty of operating a no-win policy on their Cash-Line Lottery on six occasions." The club were also ordered to pay pounds 5,000 costs.

Neville Southall has applied for the vacant manager's job at Bury, the club where he began his illustrious career.Southall left Gigg Lane in 1980 to join Everton where he went on to make over 700 appearances.