Long Way Together
Forty Years, Four Home Grounds and Four Divisions with Brighton & Hove Albion
Will be published approx. on 14. September 2026
Book
Hardback
288 pages
978-1-83680-441-3 (ISBN)
Description
Long Way Together chronicles Robert Townsend's 40-year journey with his beloved Brighton & Hove Albion - as a ball boy, staff member, newspaper columnist and fan. His funny, poignant debut explores the universal joy and anguish of following a team that has been sometimes successful, often unsuccessful and occasionally calamitous. Interesting insights, amusing anecdotes and a dash of mid-life grumpiness illuminate his relationship with a club that has gone from the brink of extinction to mixing with football's elite. Brighton supporters will get a nostalgic rush from Robert's recollections, while fans of other clubs will recognise the shared experiences of football life: the silly superstitions, the away-game service station stops and the unrivalled joy of injury-time winners. Part memoir, part social commentary, Long Way Together is a powerful reminder that supporting a club is never just about football - it's about who you become along the way.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Hove
United Kingdom
Dimensions
Height: 222 mm
Width: 144 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-83680-441-3 (9781836804413)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Robert Townsend has written for the likes of Virgin Radio and The Argus. In the 1980s, he was a ball boy at Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club's Goldstone Ground. Later, he undertook various administrative roles at all four of the club's home stadiums. Robert has also briefly worked at Arsenal FC. He is a keen birdwatcher, and will run marathons for as long as his knees will allow. This is his first book.