Brighton and Hove Albion pride themselves on being a club shaped by their supporters. From fan protests back in the 1990’s to promotion parties on trains involving players and fans in 2017, the Brighton story has always been one of unity. It is for this exact reason that the club’s decision to remove the heritage tiles at the Amex and replace them with a mosaic is nothing short of a disgrace.
Those tiles are not decorative extras; they are paid-for markers of loyalty and memory, embedded into the stadium by supporters who believed their place at the club was permanent.
In a football landscape where everything revolves around profit, Brighton seemed like one of the good ones. Now, though, Albion fans cannot be blamed for believing they are an afterthought.
The heritage tiles were introduced in 2011, as a way for supporters to permanently mark their place, and their loved ones’ places, in Brighton’s history. Fans purchased personalised tiles for £99, which were installed on the North Concourse ramp walls at the Amex.
In an announcement yesterday, the club revealed that it had launched the BHAFC 125 Fan Wall to celebrate the club’s 125th anniversary, which falls in June 2026. For £45, fans can upload their photos to feature in the mosaic wall that honours players who defined Brighton’s journey across generations.
Further down in that announcement, the club dropped the bombshell that the tiles would be removed at the end of the season. The 125 Fan Wall was described as “the natural successor” to the Heritage Tile Wall.
Fans were not consulted about the matter, which resulted in uproar. One supporter described the decision as “disregarding the sentimental and historical values”, on the North Stand Chat, a Brighton fan forum.
In an emotional sense, Brighton’s identity has been built on the idea of collective ownership. This is a club that survived extinction thanks to its supporters who refused to be silenced.
The heritage tiles represent individual supporters woven into the fabric of the club, a reminder that Brighton’s rise has been shared rather than imposed. Surely it is better to honour the fans who ‘defined Brighton’s journey across generations’.
Removing them alters the relationship between Brighton and its fans by replacing something personal with something no one really wants. Modernising a stadium should never come at the cost of heritage. Nothing contradicts the ‘TOGETHER’ motto more than taking down the plaques that honour those who helped Brighton get to where it is today. The fans who went through the heartbreak at Goldstone and travelled week after week to Gillingham deserve just as many plaudits, if not more, than the ones who stepped onto the pitch. Without the fans, the players wouldn’t have a team to play for.
Many mark the names of family members who have passed away, and fans treat them like gravestones that they visit prior to kick-off. The bigger issue is how it changes the relationship between the club and its fans. When looking modern comes before letting people express themselves, supporters start to feel like they’re just watching a brand, not part of it.
There is a reasonable argument in defence of Brighton’s decision. Stadiums require constant upkeep, visual identity matters, and clubs must evolve as they grow. A mosaic may offer a cleaner aesthetic, but why must it replace the heritage tiles? Why not have both?
The club claims that “after nearly 15 years of installation and production of the tiles, many of them are unfortunately falling foul of time and the weather conditions.” However, anyone who has visited the Amex recently can rebut that suggestion with just one look at the heritage wall. The original tiles remain in great condition, neatly lined up, side by side. It’s the newer ones that have “fallen foul” of the weather.
Plenty of clubs have found ways to update their surroundings while still respecting the supporter spaces that matter. When a club that prides itself on its relationship with fans makes a decision like this without involving them, it weakens that message.
The heritage tiles that line the North Concourse wall are a reminder that Brighton was built by its community long before it became a Premier League mainstay. The names, messages, and memories on that wall mean far more than a mosaic ever could.
One supporter, Tracey said: “It’s like digging up a churchyard full of weathered gravestones to replace them with a video installation… My late dad’s tile has his name and ‘Albion Forever’. Ironic that his loyalty isn’t reciprocated.”
Many other fans have announced they will be cancelling their season tickets if the plaques are removed. Maybe that’s what it will take for the board to remember who Brighton and Hove Albion belongs to.
Written by Isabelle Martin
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