Why are Brighton not wearing their usual home jersey against Arsenal today? - European Football

We’ve all become very familiar with Brighton & Hove Albion in the last few years, with the Seagulls establishing themselves as a Premier League club after first earning promotion in 2017. As a result, fans were quick to notice something that looked off as they took to the field for Saturday’s home game against Arsenal.

We’re generally used to seeing Brighton sporting a blue and white striped home jersey, with varying designs and stripe widths depending on the season. This year, blue is very much the principal color, with white pinstripes.

Against the Gunners, however, Brighton showed up wearing an unusual all-blue number, to the extent that their sponsor, American Express, also written in blue, was barely visible.

Why are Brighton wearing a special all-blue jersey against Arsenal?

Fabian Hürzeler’s team were in fact wearing a special jersey, which some argued wouldn’t look out of place on the golf course, to mark 125 years since the club’s foundation. In reality, they are a few months late, as Brighton actually started up on June 24, 1901.

From near disaster to Premier League regulars

Historically a lower division club, the Seagulls are easily going through the most successful period in their history.

This is only their second spell in England’s top flight, with the first coming between 1979-80 and 1982-83. In the summer of 1997, Brighton only avoided dropping out of the English league system on goal difference. Twenty years later, they were celebrating promotion to the Premier League.

At the end of this season, they will have spent 10 years in England’s top division and have cemented their status as one of the country’s best-run clubs.