Brighton Win Coca Cola's £250,000 Prize
Last updated : 31 May 2005 By Gary Fish
Cola Cola Championship side Brighton & Hove Albion have won the Coca Cola's "Buy a Player" competition as the draw was made before the Championship play-off between West Ham Utd and Preston North End today.
Brighton chairman Dick Knight and manager Mark McGhee collected a cheque on the pitch at the Millennium Stadium.
Supporters of all Clubs were invited by Coca Cola to enter a prize draw as often as they wished (once per day maximum).
Brighton Fans voted over 26,000 times and finished 7th in the rankings behind Leeds, who topped the votes with 203,000, while QPR, Sheffield Wednesday, Celtic, Luton and Aberdeen were all above Brighton as well.
The draw was made from all entries received and the lucky fan was Brighton's Aaron Berry who won £10,000 for himself with his club collecting the £250,000 prize for his Club.
Berry said, "This is the most amazing moment of my life.
I've supported Brighton all my life and watched them suffer through so many difficult times so to win £250,000 to spend on some new players is a dream come true.
"I'd love us to buy a striker, but I have faith in the gaffer and will back whatever decision he makes."
A delighted Dick Knight said that this "doubled our playing budget" while Mark McGhee said that "we now have a budget"
The rules for the competition were:
The major prize of the £250,000 prize fund is dedicated to funding the acquisition of a newly registered player(s) with the chosen winning Club for the 2005/06 season.
The £250,000 prize fund must be spent by 31st August 2005 and can only be spent on domestic transfers.
The £250,000 prize fund may be used to pay the following fees and expenses a) transfer fees (domestic clubs)
b) player’s wages
c) VAT on transfer fees
d) transfer fee levy
e) ground improvement levy.
The money cannot be used for any other purpose.
The £250,000 prize fund will be held in The Football League’s transfer fee account.
The £250,000 prize fund may not be used to pay agent’s fees or severance payments.
Any player transferred should remain registered for at least one season with the winning Club.
All Football League applicable rules and regulations, including the salary cost, management protocol and the insolvency policy, must be adhered to.
The winner will meet with the club but the final decision will be made by the winning football club.
