Brighton donate 1,000 tickets for future matches to frontline workers

Premier League club Brighton have decided to donate 1,000 tickets for future matches to frontline British NHS workers fighting the coronavirus pandemic.

The decision was approved on Tuesday, and the club has invited others in the Premier League, English Football League, and Scottish league to do the same when soccer resumes.

The Seagulls' chief executive and deputy chairman Paul Barber said: "We are working on a range of things across all areas of the community and I hope this will just be the start.

“We fully appreciate football is the last thing on anyone’s minds at this moment, but we feel this is a small way in which we can show our gratitude for those NHS staff on the frontline who are fighting the battle on behalf of all of those and give them something to look forward to.”

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Barber suggested a club-to-club baton approach and has nominated south-coast Premier League rivals Bournemouth as the next in line.

And Cherries' chairman Jeff Mostyn admitted he was keen to rise to the challenge.

He said: “We are absolutely delighted to match Brighton’s gesture and commit to one thousand tickets, and we will pass the baton to another club with the aim of reaching a significant target so football as a whole can show its appreciation for our country’s NHS workers.”