Brighton fans set up GoFundMe page to help Peter O’Sullivan
A GoFundMe Page has been set up for Brighton fans who can afford to donate to help Peter O’Sullivan in his recovery from a near-fatal bleed on the brain.
Sully collapsed in June at a pub in Shoreham. He was taken to the Royal Sussex Hospital and placed on life support in a high dependency ward.
Within two days of being sent home, the 71-year-old was rushed back to Worthing Hospital for another four-day stay.
Further treatment, tests and observations have revealed that Sully now has dementia. Many footballers are diagnosed with the problem after spending years of their lives heading a ball.
The type of dementia Sully has is yet to be identified. His test results will be back in five weeks, once the occupational therapist testing his cognitive impairment has completed their assessment.
The road to some sort of recovery now looks even longer, harder and more expensive. With Peter and his wife Kim having no family in Sussex to help support them, they are on their own.
Brighton have no Former Players Association in place to help ex-Seagulls when they face difficulties in later life. Clubs such as Sunderland and Everton have charitable foundations which provide physical, emotional and financial support when required to former players.
The Albion have been approached about hosting some sort of benefit for Sully, but progress towards that has been slow. Kim and Peter are already struggling; they need help now.
Which is why Brighton fans have taken it upon themselves to start raising money. Albion supporter Grant Burbery set up a GoFundMe with the aim of raising £2000 for Sully.
Within a day, that total had already been met. At a time when personal finances are being squeezed like that never before, that shows you the esteem Sully is held in by Seagulls fans. A revised figure of £3000 has now been set.
O’Sullivan spent 11 years with the Albion after joining from Manchester United in 1970. He made 491 appearances, a number only bettered by Tug Wilson.
The longevity of his Albion career is all the more remarkable when you consider he was transfer listed three time under three different managers – Pat Saward, Peter Taylor and Alan Mullery.
Sully won three promotions as a Brighton player – in 1971-72, 1976-77 and 1978-79 – and was voted Player of the Season in the 1977-78 campaign.
He scored 49 times for the Albion, operating initially as a winger before being moved into a more central role by Mullery.
Had assist records been kept in the 1970s, Sully would be miles clear of anyone else in Brighton history thanks to the goals he laid on a plate for Peter Ward, Ian Mellor, Teddy Maybank and Malcolm Poskett.
Peter O’Sullivan gave 11 years of his life to the Albion as a mainstay of a popular, record breaking team who helped take Brighton into the top flight for the first time ever.
It is our turn now to help him. If you can afford to donate, then please head on over to the Peter O’Sullivan Help Required GoFundMe page. Any amount no matter how small will help Sully and Kim.
