A football fan suffered a cardiac arrest and died at Falmer Station after Brighton and Hove Albion thrashed Fulham at the Amex Stadium last night (Friday 15 April).
The club tweeted: “We’re sorry to report a fan suffered a fatal cardiac arrest at Falmer Station after tonight’s game. Our thoughts are with his family.”
The 92-year-old fan was on the eastbound platform when he was taken ill. The club tweeted a request for supporters to be patient as they tried to get home after the game while two off-duty doctors tried to save the man.
We’re sorry to report a fan suffered a fatal cardiac arrest at Falmer Station after tonight’s game. Our thoughts are with his family. #BHAFC
— BHAFC (@OfficialBHAFC) April 15, 2016
The club also issued a statement about problems on the trains that delayed fans before the match and meant that some missed the kick-off.
The club said: “Brighton and Hove Albion are very sorry to hear that a number of fans travelling from Brighton Station experienced difficulties getting to the match earlier this evening.
“Delays occurred due to Southern Rail making a number of service cancellations.
“Had we been made aware in advance, and having delayed kick-off on more than one occasion this season, we could have done this tonight to allow extra time for fans of both clubs to get to the Amex for the match.
“We were informed of minor disruptions at 7pm but reassured by Southern Rail they would clear the backlog ahead of kick-off.
“However, it was only at 7.28pm we were first made aware by British Transport Police that a number of fans were still waiting at Brighton Station and would not make kick-off.
“Football League rules are that kick-off can only be delayed on safety grounds and at this very late stage it would have been difficult to justify a delay on these grounds.
“We can also make clear, that we were not requested to delay kick-off by British Transport Police.
“While we appreciate these delays were unexpected and many fans may well have allowed additional time when travelling tonight, as we enter these final weeks of the season, with close to capacity crowds, it is vital that supporters do allow extra time when travelling.”
Brighton beat Fulham 5-0 with a hat-trick from Tomer Hemed.
Southern rail useless as ever. So someone has to die to make this news, sic.
Nationalise this poor / disgracefully run sick joke service ASAP .