The rivalry between Brighton and Crystal Palace is as fierce for both sets of fans as it is baffling to many supporters of other clubs.
As an added layer of confusion, the acrimonious fixture has been postponed when most Premier League fixtures are going ahead this weekend.
The news is being seen by some as a relief for Albion, who remain without a manager following the departure of Graham Potter to Chelsea within days of their 5-2 win over Leicester at the Amex Stadium on September 4.
Why isn’t the first derby of the season between the teams happening as scheduled? The Sporting News has the answer.
Why was Brighton vs. Crystal Palace called off?
The match was originally scheduled for a 3pm BST kickoff on Saturday, September 17.
Thousands of fans heading to Brighton games take the train to Falmer Station, which is a brief stroll away from the entrances at the Amex Stadium.
So when a planned industrial strike looked set to bring the line to a halt on the date of the game, Albion appealed to the Premier League to have the game called off because of emergency circumstances.
The Premier League, the clubs, police and local council officials convened and agreed that there was no option but to postpone the game.
When the planned action was dropped following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, there were suggestions from supporters that the game could go ahead as planned.
Regretfully, the Premier League game between Brighton & Hove Albion and Crystal Palace has been postponed due to planned industrial action on the rail network.#CPFC
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) September 7, 2022
Why did Brighton vs. Crystal Palace remain postponed?
Seven of the 10 scheduled Premier League matches were given the go-ahead on the weekend of September 17 — and the derby was not one of them.
Police forces in the region already face a huge challenge because of the state funeral on September 19, and providing resources to put the game back on at short notice proved impossible.
“Following extensive consultation with clubs, police, local Safety Advisory Groups and other relevant authorities, there was no other option but to postpone,” the Premier League said in a statement confirming that the game would remain off.
“The Premier League would like to thank the UK Football Policing Unit and other police forces across the country, as well as our broadcast partners, for their support during this process, and will continue to liaise with them ahead of the weekend.”
When are Brighton playing Crystal Palace?
The game had been due to take place on September 17 at 15:00 BST but now seems unlikely to take place until next year.
Organising the derby is already an onerous task for authorities and the level of planning required means that the match will probably take place during the second half of the season.
The added congestion imposed on the Premier League schedule by the unexpected round of postponements further complicates rescheduling the game.
The next obvious gap in which the teams could play is in mid-January, by which time the Premier League will have resumed following a six-week break for the Qatar World Cup.
Palace are due to host Brighton at Selhurst Park on February 11 2023.
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