John Prescott RIP

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John Prescott RIP

2024-11-21T11:00+00:00

John Prescott was a welcome visitor when the new Amex stadium was built.

The club was saddened to hear that John Prescott has passed away at the age of 86.

As deputy prime minister, Lord Prescott is held in high esteem by supporters after he played a key role in Albion’s protracted battle to build the American Express Stadium.

The club hadn’t had a permanent home of its own since the sale of the Goldstone Ground in 1997 and after two years in exile at Gillingham had been using Withdean since 1999.

The stadium was opposed by some local residents, Falmer Parish Council, Lewes District Council and conservation groups, due to its proximity to the South Downs, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

As deputy prime minister, Prescott had the final decision and Albion fan Paul Samrah, one of those leading the fight for the new stadium, knew that he was unlikely to respond to aggressive lobbying from campaigners.

Instead, fans sent Prescott flowers, and he was bombarded with Valentine’s cards at the height of the campaign.

Samrah said, "We knew we had to be humorous and have a campaign that was focused, We knew the subtle approach of Valentine cards, flowers and witty postcards was going to work. It was unlike any other campaign. The impact was enormous."

In October 2005 Prescott gave Falmer the green light. There was an immediate appeal from Lewes District Council and by the time permission was finally granted after two public enquiries the decision was made by Hazel Blears, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

But Prescott, a Hull City fan, will always be remembered by Albion fans as the politician who got behind the new stadium. At the height of the club's campaign, he was warmly welcomed by fans when he attended Hull’s game at Withdean in December 2005, which Albion won 2-1.

The son of a railway signalman, Prescott left school at 15 to work as a trainee chef and then as a steward on the Cunard Line before entering politics. He served as a Labour MP in Hull for four decades before moving into the House of Lords.