Bishop States No Restrictions on Praying for Brighton & Hove Albion

The newly appointed Bishop of Whitby has declared that there are “no rules” preventing him from praying for a victory for his cherished Brighton & Hove Albion football club. Barry Hill, a native of Shoreham, West Sussex, assumed the role of Bishop of Whitby, located in North Yorkshire, earlier this month. Despite the significant distance of over 500km (310 miles) from Brighton, the 45-year-old incorporated the seagull emblem from the Albion club crest onto his robes during his consecration ceremony. He affirmed, “Sussex runs through my veins.” Bishop Hill conveyed that he and others are entirely welcome to pray for their preferred football teams to win matches. He informed BBC Radio Sussex, “There are no rules,” adding, “Prayer is a conversation with God. And God wants us to share all the things that are important to us.” He recounted a specific instance in 1997 when he “offered up a little prayer” as Albion faced a 1-0 deficit against Hereford United, just 27 minutes away from relegation from the Football League. A subsequent late equaliser secured the club’s survival from both relegation and potential extinction. Conversely, Hereford United, which was relegated on that occasion, ceased operations in 2014 due to substantial debts. Bishop Hill identified his “greatest hardship” as the inability to attend Albion matches on a weekly basis. He stated, “Every week I used to be at the Goldstone Ground, and then Withdean.” He added, “When I was in Leicester before, I could get down four or five times a year. That is going to be a little bit more difficult now I am up near Middlesbrough.” In preparation for his new responsibilities, he expressed his desire to acknowledge his cherished Albion within his religious vestments by incorporating the seagull from the club crest into his cope. He further elaborated, “What matters to us, matters to God. And some way to show that physically is really important.”