No rules on praying for my beloved Albion - bishop

Barry Hill, originally from Shoreham, was consecrated as the Bishop of Whitby this month

A new bishop has said there are “no rules” stopping him from praying for a win for his beloved Brighton & Hove Albion.

Barry Hill, originally from Shoreham, West Sussex, became the Bishop of Whitby, in North Yorkshire, earlier this month.

Despite being more than 500km (310 miles) from Brighton, the 45-year-old included the seagull from the Albion club crest on his robes when he was consecrated.

“Sussex runs through my veins,” he said.

Bishop Hill included the seagull from the Albion club crest on his cope

Bishop Hill said he and others were more than welcome to pray for their favourite football team to win matches.

“There are no rules,” he told BBC Radio Sussex.

“Prayer is a conversation with God. And God wants us to share all the things that are important to us.”

He said he even “offered up a little prayer” while Albion were losing 1-0 to Hereford United in 1997, 27 minutes from relegation out of the Football League.

A late equaliser was enough to save the club from relegation, and extinction. Meanwhile, Hereford United, who were relegated that day, folded in 2014 to high debts.

Bishop Hill, 45, is a life-long Brighton & Hove Albion supporter

Bishop Hill said his “greatest hardship” was not being able to see Albion play every week.

“Every week I used to be at the Goldstone Ground, and then Withdean,” he said.

“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.”

As he prepares for his new role, he said he was keen to give a nod to his believed Albion in his religious attire by adding the seagull from the club crest into his cope.

“What matters to us, matters to God. And some way to show that physically is really important,” he added.