THE BLUES
A look at the table says it all. Victory on Tuesday will certainly see Brighton off and another win on Saturday will make the long trips to Carlisle and Tranmere nothing more than seeing who gets the home leg first in the play offs. (Unless the league decide to give Leeds back a lot of points and everybody else wins all their games including Walsall, unlikely!) A fantastic achievement by Tilly and Brush to even get us this far let alone the chance to finish the season at Wembley in late May. I hope we get it over with as I don't fancy having to beat Port Vale at home, those guys are in Championship form!
It was Brighton away back in September when the mad ten minute cave in and Captain Kev's extraordinary verbal attack on his own supporters made many, myself included, question Tilly seriously for the first time. His love of the Flahaven/Barrett/Clarke axis of drawfness seemed to be seriously flawed. (And for all Darryl's heroics last weekend it has to be seriously debated if we can afford to start with all three again, whatever division we are in.) However, some inspired signings, especially the midfield duo of McCormack and Bailey along with the goal poaching of Barnard, have placed us in a position that did not seem possible on that dark afternoon six months ago.
Though probably starting on the subs bench ex-Brighton man Alex Revell is under no doubt he choose the right club while preparing himself for a reunion with Albion after recovering from a third hernia operation in less than a year. Revell, sold to the Essex club for £150,000 during the January transfer window, is hoping to play some sort of part in the match. The former Braintree striker had his first 90 minutes for almost two months last week as Southend's reserves beat Chelmsford 1-0 in the Essex Senior Cup final. Revell said: "I'm getting there and I would love to be involved against Brighton. If I am not then that is just one of those things and I can look forward to maybe playing after that. It will feel strange, being against people I became really close to and against the club that gave me the opportunity to get back into the League. I've got some great memories and I met some really great people down there. I've never had that feeling before and it will be quite surreal but things move on. If we win it could go a long way to securing us a place in the play-offs. It is very tight at the moment but we have been playing really well."
Revell had his first hernia operation last summer, to the left side. He had the right side repaired in November, only for the injury to recur shortly after his move. He added: "It was devastating for me. I came in and played the first three games and had a decent start. We played Millwall and I felt exactly the same thing happen again that happened before to me."
Revell consulted Jerry Gilmore, the surgeon who in 1980 recognised the syndrome of groin disruption in sportsmen and undertook the first successful repair. The technique has since become known as Gilmore's Groin'(!) "He took me through everything," said Revell. "He told me the first one I had done in November wasn't done properly. The mesh they put in to heal the tear was too high. That was frustrating for me but it has made me stronger. Now hopefully I can put it behind me and get on with it.
The hernia problems have not been the only source of pain for Revell in recent months. The 24-year-old admits he was also hurt that Albion sold him. He said: "I was surprised at the time but, when you sign somebody with Glenn Murray's ability and scoring record, you are not going to spend that sort of money on someone and then not play them. Fozzie's there as well (Nicky Forster). He's had an amazing season so if anyone was going to go it was going to be me. It was a difficult time for me because I was scoring again and enjoying playing with Fozzie. To be told I wasn't going to play anymore is difficult to take at any level. But when I heard of Southend's interest I knew I was going somewhere they wanted me to play and improve and I think I am at the right club now."
The loss of Hunt with, yes, a hernia operation, is a blow to the defensive cover but if the same eleven can start and continue to play with such confidence over the next two games cancel those May holidays now! 2-0 Southend.
THE FIXTURES - Tuesday April 8 all 19.45
Carlisle v Swansea, (come on the Welsh this time round I think), Notts. Forest v Bristol Rovers, (Forest seem to have got it right at the right time, still you've got to hope), Southend v Brighton.
THE OPPOSITION
Oh dear! Brighton must have woken on Saturday morning thinking how many goals they were going to poach off Port Vale and ended up on a 2-3 reverse to the team that's been bottom of the table for most of the year. Still, as a supporter has written below, they had to win at the Hall even before the weekend, it's just become imperative now, defeat will see them playing League One football again next season.
They haven't been in brilliant form with only one win in five, and that 2-1 at home to Swindon, though to be fair they did share the points with Notts. Forest and Leeds in that sequence, a goaless draw at Elland Road showing they can play away from the greyhound track. (Then you throw in a 1-2 defeat at Huddersfield and you begin to wonder which Brighton will turn up!) In fact they haven't got an awful away record with 5 wins, 6 draws and 9 defeats, scoring 17 and letting in 22.
Albion however do face a defensive crisis that should warm the shooting boots of Barnard and Walker as they prepare for Tuesday's match. Centre half Joel Lynch is doubtful with a knock sustained in Saturday's home defeat. Manager Dean Wilkins said today: "We are going to have to wait on Joel. He is struggling with a problem at the top of the calf, back of the knee, so he is touch and go."
Ex-Blue and over 500 game veteran Guy Butters, at 38 still the obvious replacement for Lynch, has not trained since playing in the reserves last Wednesday, because of a virus. An alternative would have been to move Andrew Whing into the middle and play Gary Hart at rightback but Hart is expected to miss the rest of the season with a cracked kneecap. Adam El-Abd (knee), Matt Richards (hamstring) and Adam Hinshelwood (knee) are other defenders sidelined and Wes Fogden has been loaned out to Bognor. Cover goalkeeper John Sullivan was not on the bench against Vale due to a thumb injury.
It should be a cracker in front of the lights and certainly Brighton boss Dean Wilkins is not throwing in the tail yet even if travelling Albion supporters are facing this particular seaside derby with some trepidation. Here's how one Brighton fan sees the game going, try and stay with him, it's worth it!
Top-six over-achievers Southend, (cheers), have come good at a very inconvenient time, hauling themselves upwards from eleventh place after Xmas when half of this season's fixtures were completed. Brighton were closely tracking United to then from mid-table mediocrity. Our Sussex side set sail and nicked a useful lead but shipped water a little too readily. The tide turned and eventually Albion were beached, as leaky league ones left high and dry during a shallow run-in. January 26 was their original scheduled date for League1's clash at Roots Hall but of course, a lucrative FA Cup round4 tie took precedence there. Shrimpers third tier form was a bit in and out at the time and Albion may regret an exclusive knockout competition intervening, while in headlong pursuit of reaching er, knockouts. Southend have left us in their wake, having increased speed to mark a wind-assisted 1.65pt/gm over the course distance to date. The Essex outfit are currently undefeated in nine at home and ten H/A since losing at Millwall in mid February. That is the kind of consistent points-scoring run to give 'em hope of a quick return to Championship participation, a la BHA style of 2003. So it's now gone to a very last Tuesday night visit from a tiring campaign, on which to meet buoyant coastal rivals and determine fate one way or another.
Southend's home form is W11 D4 L5 F31 A13. They beat Walsall 1-0, Luton 2-0, Bournemouth 2-1, Hartlepool 2-1, Leeds 1-0, Swindon 2-1, Huddersfield 4-1, Crewe 3-0, Doncaster 3-2, Gillingham 3-0 and Millwall 1-0. United drew with Swansea 1-1, Forest 1-1, Yeovil 1-1, and Cheltenham 2-2. But lost versus Bristol Rovers 0-1, Oldham 0-1, Carlisle 0-1, Tranmere 1-2 and Orient 1-2. Southend and Brighton have each lost 13 matches but United are spot-on target with 20 wins to Albion's lightweight 16 at a very vital stage. For the record, a comparison of seasiders stats from when both had played 23 games and amassed 33 points, is as follows: Southend; P18 W10 D5 L3 Pt35 Po5. Brighton; P18 W7 D6 L5 Pt28 Po9. Apparently there is a lot to be said for making return fixtures ones to count big-time, especially in producing a final pecking order of elimination-phase qualifiers. Btw is there a case for more two-a-week matches from start of the season until October? Perhaps that's only sour grapes, having gone through half of mundane fixtures in five initially temperate months, then compressing the rest into a wintry counted-down four. Football really is an all-year-round game after all, isn't it?
Ok, just what did go wrong on Saturday when on their own perfect turf, BHA self-inflicted a banana skin slip to fall flat on faces? For a kick-off our outfit were way off the pace, easily let opposition get into 'em and didn't deal decisively when pressured. More than that, nobody perceived this division's bottom club to register such a fighting performance from a so-called doomed position. Incidentally they are no longer permanently bottom, after hitting those rocks at end of December. You can give 'em credit for having a go but probably shudder at Albion's inept display and seemingly lack of commitment to the cause. How important to our eleven was it to win that fixture? How crucial is it to move on and try to battle for three points against a team with almost equal home fortress figures and presumably tough mentality? You could argue that Southend are no better or worse than Brighton on their patch and yes, our away form is infinitely better than Vale's numbers. But where does it leave us in terms of attitude to what now needs to be done? Some might say we've had that proverbial bad result and er, onward and upward. But hey, wasn't United's New Year's beating by Bristol Rovers maybe theirs too? Whatever, there are more questions than answers.
The clock is winding down and even if we want it more than other top-ten, there ain't much time left nor room to manoeuvre. Trouble is, a win versus on-sea opponents won't affect a sea-change that in reality has already happened. It's down to cause and effect and the best BHA can do next is go for it and wake on Wednesday where we started with Southend on Saturday morning. Job done, although games in hand are gone, points are desperately needed and we're still outside those coveted top six berths. Vale was a stone-bonker banker that turned into a right plonker, one certainty is we just gotta beat those Essex coastal flankers or be held proper er, wanglers. Have Albion's squad got the necessary attributes to pick it up and hit the ground running? Vale did and look what funking well happened. When Albion threatened to get back into a pitched battle, Vale kept forcing, going forwards and wanting to score. Martin Hinshelwood was in Brighton's dugout and events must have reminded him of summer some six years ago. Controlled aggression won it for the Burslem unit, while Albion appeared as southern softies akin to first stabs at Championship combat in 2002. If Brighton's management learned from those disastrous days, our selected eleven have got to go walk the walk, not merely give media mics talk the talk. This is League1 and a bloody war is in progress of completion. We can save the pretty-boy stuff for Falmer afternoons when Championship sides stand-off and allow Albion to play. Meanwhile Brighton are in a scrap and it's death or glory - also, there are medals being given for acts of outstanding valour.
THE MATCHES
Played 95: WON 35 DRAWN 19 LOST 41
Approaching a century of games it all started 88 years ago on Aug. 28 1920 when a Fairclough double led to a 2-0 win at home. Not unsurprisingly 25 of our 35 wins (70%) have been in Southend
The first match up this season led to a Brighton 3-2 win on Sep. 1 2007. Two goals in the last ten minutes when Savage, now at Millwall, came on to turn the game round after Blues had held a 2-1 lead and looking likely winners. Questions were asked about Tilly and Brush by many fans for the first time and how they have answed us all.
THE HISTORY
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club was formed in 1901 after two previous teams in the town had folded. The club gained entry into the Football League in 1920 as original members of Division Three. The team are nicknamed 'Seagulls', partly due to the city's seaside location and partly as a response to the similar sounding nickname 'Eagles' of their arch rivals Crystal Palace. Prior to this nickname they were known as 'the Dolphins' or 'the Twins'.
A look at the table says it all. Victory on Tuesday will certainly see Brighton off and another win on Saturday will make the long trips to Carlisle and Tranmere nothing more than seeing who gets the home leg first in the play offs. (Unless the league decide to give Leeds back a lot of points and everybody else wins all their games including Walsall, unlikely!) A fantastic achievement by Tilly and Brush to even get us this far let alone the chance to finish the season at Wembley in late May. I hope we get it over with as I don't fancy having to beat Port Vale at home, those guys are in Championship form!
It was Brighton away back in September when the mad ten minute cave in and Captain Kev's extraordinary verbal attack on his own supporters made many, myself included, question Tilly seriously for the first time. His love of the Flahaven/Barrett/Clarke axis of drawfness seemed to be seriously flawed. (And for all Darryl's heroics last weekend it has to be seriously debated if we can afford to start with all three again, whatever division we are in.) However, some inspired signings, especially the midfield duo of McCormack and Bailey along with the goal poaching of Barnard, have placed us in a position that did not seem possible on that dark afternoon six months ago.
Though probably starting on the subs bench ex-Brighton man Alex Revell is under no doubt he choose the right club while preparing himself for a reunion with Albion after recovering from a third hernia operation in less than a year. Revell, sold to the Essex club for £150,000 during the January transfer window, is hoping to play some sort of part in the match. The former Braintree striker had his first 90 minutes for almost two months last week as Southend's reserves beat Chelmsford 1-0 in the Essex Senior Cup final. Revell said: "I'm getting there and I would love to be involved against Brighton. If I am not then that is just one of those things and I can look forward to maybe playing after that. It will feel strange, being against people I became really close to and against the club that gave me the opportunity to get back into the League. I've got some great memories and I met some really great people down there. I've never had that feeling before and it will be quite surreal but things move on. If we win it could go a long way to securing us a place in the play-offs. It is very tight at the moment but we have been playing really well."
Revell had his first hernia operation last summer, to the left side. He had the right side repaired in November, only for the injury to recur shortly after his move. He added: "It was devastating for me. I came in and played the first three games and had a decent start. We played Millwall and I felt exactly the same thing happen again that happened before to me."
Revell consulted Jerry Gilmore, the surgeon who in 1980 recognised the syndrome of groin disruption in sportsmen and undertook the first successful repair. The technique has since become known as Gilmore's Groin'(!) "He took me through everything," said Revell. "He told me the first one I had done in November wasn't done properly. The mesh they put in to heal the tear was too high. That was frustrating for me but it has made me stronger. Now hopefully I can put it behind me and get on with it.
The hernia problems have not been the only source of pain for Revell in recent months. The 24-year-old admits he was also hurt that Albion sold him. He said: "I was surprised at the time but, when you sign somebody with Glenn Murray's ability and scoring record, you are not going to spend that sort of money on someone and then not play them. Fozzie's there as well (Nicky Forster). He's had an amazing season so if anyone was going to go it was going to be me. It was a difficult time for me because I was scoring again and enjoying playing with Fozzie. To be told I wasn't going to play anymore is difficult to take at any level. But when I heard of Southend's interest I knew I was going somewhere they wanted me to play and improve and I think I am at the right club now."
The loss of Hunt with, yes, a hernia operation, is a blow to the defensive cover but if the same eleven can start and continue to play with such confidence over the next two games cancel those May holidays now! 2-0 Southend.
1 | Swansea | 41 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 33 | 18 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 41 | 20 | 36 | 82 |
| 2 | Carlisle | 41 | 17 | 1 | 2 | 37 | 13 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 23 | 24 | 23 | 78 |
| 3 | Doncaster | 42 | 12 | 4 | 5 | 30 | 18 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 29 | 20 | 21 | 73 |
| 4 | Nottm Forest | 41 | 11 | 7 | 2 | 32 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 24 | 19 | 27 | 69 |
| 5 | Southend | 41 | 11 | 4 | 5 | 31 | 18 | 9 | 4 | 8 | 33 | 33 | 13 | 68 |
| 6 | Leeds | 41 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 36 | 15 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 28 | 19 | 30 | 64 |
| 7 | Tranmere | 42 | 12 | 4 | 5 | 31 | 16 | 5 | 7 | 9 | 19 | 26 | 8 | 62 |
| 8 | Walsall | 41 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 24 | 20 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 23 | 17 | 10 | 60 |
| 9 | Brighton | 41 | 11 | 6 | 4 | 35 | 23 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 17 | 22 | 7 | 60 |
THE FIXTURES - Tuesday April 8 all 19.45
Carlisle v Swansea, (come on the Welsh this time round I think), Notts. Forest v Bristol Rovers, (Forest seem to have got it right at the right time, still you've got to hope), Southend v Brighton.
THE OPPOSITION
Oh dear! Brighton must have woken on Saturday morning thinking how many goals they were going to poach off Port Vale and ended up on a 2-3 reverse to the team that's been bottom of the table for most of the year. Still, as a supporter has written below, they had to win at the Hall even before the weekend, it's just become imperative now, defeat will see them playing League One football again next season.
They haven't been in brilliant form with only one win in five, and that 2-1 at home to Swindon, though to be fair they did share the points with Notts. Forest and Leeds in that sequence, a goaless draw at Elland Road showing they can play away from the greyhound track. (Then you throw in a 1-2 defeat at Huddersfield and you begin to wonder which Brighton will turn up!) In fact they haven't got an awful away record with 5 wins, 6 draws and 9 defeats, scoring 17 and letting in 22.
Albion however do face a defensive crisis that should warm the shooting boots of Barnard and Walker as they prepare for Tuesday's match. Centre half Joel Lynch is doubtful with a knock sustained in Saturday's home defeat. Manager Dean Wilkins said today: "We are going to have to wait on Joel. He is struggling with a problem at the top of the calf, back of the knee, so he is touch and go."
Ex-Blue and over 500 game veteran Guy Butters, at 38 still the obvious replacement for Lynch, has not trained since playing in the reserves last Wednesday, because of a virus. An alternative would have been to move Andrew Whing into the middle and play Gary Hart at rightback but Hart is expected to miss the rest of the season with a cracked kneecap. Adam El-Abd (knee), Matt Richards (hamstring) and Adam Hinshelwood (knee) are other defenders sidelined and Wes Fogden has been loaned out to Bognor. Cover goalkeeper John Sullivan was not on the bench against Vale due to a thumb injury.
It should be a cracker in front of the lights and certainly Brighton boss Dean Wilkins is not throwing in the tail yet even if travelling Albion supporters are facing this particular seaside derby with some trepidation. Here's how one Brighton fan sees the game going, try and stay with him, it's worth it!
Top-six over-achievers Southend, (cheers), have come good at a very inconvenient time, hauling themselves upwards from eleventh place after Xmas when half of this season's fixtures were completed. Brighton were closely tracking United to then from mid-table mediocrity. Our Sussex side set sail and nicked a useful lead but shipped water a little too readily. The tide turned and eventually Albion were beached, as leaky league ones left high and dry during a shallow run-in. January 26 was their original scheduled date for League1's clash at Roots Hall but of course, a lucrative FA Cup round4 tie took precedence there. Shrimpers third tier form was a bit in and out at the time and Albion may regret an exclusive knockout competition intervening, while in headlong pursuit of reaching er, knockouts. Southend have left us in their wake, having increased speed to mark a wind-assisted 1.65pt/gm over the course distance to date. The Essex outfit are currently undefeated in nine at home and ten H/A since losing at Millwall in mid February. That is the kind of consistent points-scoring run to give 'em hope of a quick return to Championship participation, a la BHA style of 2003. So it's now gone to a very last Tuesday night visit from a tiring campaign, on which to meet buoyant coastal rivals and determine fate one way or another.
Southend's home form is W11 D4 L5 F31 A13. They beat Walsall 1-0, Luton 2-0, Bournemouth 2-1, Hartlepool 2-1, Leeds 1-0, Swindon 2-1, Huddersfield 4-1, Crewe 3-0, Doncaster 3-2, Gillingham 3-0 and Millwall 1-0. United drew with Swansea 1-1, Forest 1-1, Yeovil 1-1, and Cheltenham 2-2. But lost versus Bristol Rovers 0-1, Oldham 0-1, Carlisle 0-1, Tranmere 1-2 and Orient 1-2. Southend and Brighton have each lost 13 matches but United are spot-on target with 20 wins to Albion's lightweight 16 at a very vital stage. For the record, a comparison of seasiders stats from when both had played 23 games and amassed 33 points, is as follows: Southend; P18 W10 D5 L3 Pt35 Po5. Brighton; P18 W7 D6 L5 Pt28 Po9. Apparently there is a lot to be said for making return fixtures ones to count big-time, especially in producing a final pecking order of elimination-phase qualifiers. Btw is there a case for more two-a-week matches from start of the season until October? Perhaps that's only sour grapes, having gone through half of mundane fixtures in five initially temperate months, then compressing the rest into a wintry counted-down four. Football really is an all-year-round game after all, isn't it?
Ok, just what did go wrong on Saturday when on their own perfect turf, BHA self-inflicted a banana skin slip to fall flat on faces? For a kick-off our outfit were way off the pace, easily let opposition get into 'em and didn't deal decisively when pressured. More than that, nobody perceived this division's bottom club to register such a fighting performance from a so-called doomed position. Incidentally they are no longer permanently bottom, after hitting those rocks at end of December. You can give 'em credit for having a go but probably shudder at Albion's inept display and seemingly lack of commitment to the cause. How important to our eleven was it to win that fixture? How crucial is it to move on and try to battle for three points against a team with almost equal home fortress figures and presumably tough mentality? You could argue that Southend are no better or worse than Brighton on their patch and yes, our away form is infinitely better than Vale's numbers. But where does it leave us in terms of attitude to what now needs to be done? Some might say we've had that proverbial bad result and er, onward and upward. But hey, wasn't United's New Year's beating by Bristol Rovers maybe theirs too? Whatever, there are more questions than answers.
The clock is winding down and even if we want it more than other top-ten, there ain't much time left nor room to manoeuvre. Trouble is, a win versus on-sea opponents won't affect a sea-change that in reality has already happened. It's down to cause and effect and the best BHA can do next is go for it and wake on Wednesday where we started with Southend on Saturday morning. Job done, although games in hand are gone, points are desperately needed and we're still outside those coveted top six berths. Vale was a stone-bonker banker that turned into a right plonker, one certainty is we just gotta beat those Essex coastal flankers or be held proper er, wanglers. Have Albion's squad got the necessary attributes to pick it up and hit the ground running? Vale did and look what funking well happened. When Albion threatened to get back into a pitched battle, Vale kept forcing, going forwards and wanting to score. Martin Hinshelwood was in Brighton's dugout and events must have reminded him of summer some six years ago. Controlled aggression won it for the Burslem unit, while Albion appeared as southern softies akin to first stabs at Championship combat in 2002. If Brighton's management learned from those disastrous days, our selected eleven have got to go walk the walk, not merely give media mics talk the talk. This is League1 and a bloody war is in progress of completion. We can save the pretty-boy stuff for Falmer afternoons when Championship sides stand-off and allow Albion to play. Meanwhile Brighton are in a scrap and it's death or glory - also, there are medals being given for acts of outstanding valour.
THE MATCHES
Played 95: WON 35 DRAWN 19 LOST 41
Approaching a century of games it all started 88 years ago on Aug. 28 1920 when a Fairclough double led to a 2-0 win at home. Not unsurprisingly 25 of our 35 wins (70%) have been in Southend
The biggest margin has been 4-0 which we have achieved three times. Oct. 10 1925 with Watkins(2), Shaw, Bissett scoring. Oct. 23 1954; Bums, Bridge, Anderson(W) and Hollis. Finally, Feb. 17 1976 when Silvester scored all four!
In fact we are on a good run against the Seagulls at the home of football where we have not been beaten since Apr. 12 1974 when we lost 0-2. Since then we have played them 11 times in cups and league, winning 10 and only 1 draw, and that was the League Cup Round 1 Leg 1! (1-1, Parker, Aug. 14 76). This amazing sequence started on 33 years ago when the L in TLG, Alan Little, scored on Jan. 11 1975 in a 1-0 win. It continues to this day with the last in the league a 2-0 win on Aug. 12 2000; Curruthers and Lee. The very last time we beat them at Roots Hall was a Coke Cup R2 match on Sep. 19 2006, an exciting 3-2 comeback win; a rare Paynter goal, Freddie and a very late Hunt winner.
The first match up this season led to a Brighton 3-2 win on Sep. 1 2007. Two goals in the last ten minutes when Savage, now at Millwall, came on to turn the game round after Blues had held a 2-1 lead and looking likely winners. Questions were asked about Tilly and Brush by many fans for the first time and how they have answed us all.
THE HISTORY
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club was formed in 1901 after two previous teams in the town had folded. The club gained entry into the Football League in 1920 as original members of Division Three. The team are nicknamed 'Seagulls', partly due to the city's seaside location and partly as a response to the similar sounding nickname 'Eagles' of their arch rivals Crystal Palace. Prior to this nickname they were known as 'the Dolphins' or 'the Twins'.
Despite several decent FA Cup runs Brighton could not manage to win promotion from Division Three South until the very last year of that division's existence in 1958. They had previously finished as runners up in both 1954 and 1956. The club spent four seasons in Division Two before suffering a severe slump which saw them descend into Division Four in 1963. In 1965 the Seagulls won the fourth division championship and returned to Division Two in 1972. The following year, however, they slipped straight back down into the third division.
Interest around this time was boosted hugely by the subsequent managerial appointments of Brian Clough, Peter Taylor and Alan Mullery. Brighton won promotion into Division Two in 1977 and after missing out on promotion to Tottenham Hotspur on goal difference the following year they made it into Division One for the one and only time in 1979. A measure of the clubs buoyancy at this time is provided by the average attendance figure of 25,265 for the 1977-78 season when the Seagulls just missed out on promotion. A far cry from the Withdean. The club relied heavily on the goals of Peter Ward and had the outstanding defensive qualities of Mark Lawrenson in their ranks. Brighton's best effort in the League Cup came in 1979 when they reached the 5th round. The club beat Millwall, Burnley and Peterborough United before losing to Nottingham Forest 3-1.
First Division life was difficult for Brighton and they were relegated in 1983. Significant consolation came the clubs way as they won through to the FA Cup final. The Seagulls had a tricky path to negotiate in reaching Wembley as well. They won a replay against Newcastle United at St James Park in round three before knocking out Manchester City 4-0, Liverpool 2-1 at Anfield, Norwich City and Sheffield Wednesday. They were famously within a whisker of beating Manchester United in the final as well. Level at 2-2 with only seconds of extra time remaining Gordon Smith saw his shot parried at point blank range and United lived to fight another day. The replay was lost 4-0.
After three seasons in mid table Brighton finished bottom of the second division in 1987 only to climb back instantly after finishing as runners up in Division Three in 1988. In 1991 Brighton only missed out on a return to the top flight after losing in a play off final 3-1 to Notts County but collapsed the following season and were relegated into the third tier of English football. Then in 1996 the club slumped into the basement.
The club was in complete turmoil around this time, struggling financially and having to play home matches at Gillingham's ground after selling the Goldstone Ground without having a site for a new stadium. There were probably one or two ex-pats living in Kent who thought this was great but the 300 mile round trip to every home game was a bit of a bugger for most Seagulls fans. In 1997, after having two points deducted, Brighton only avoided relegation to the Conference by virtue of having scored more goals than Hereford United, who they managed to draw with on the final day of the season. If goal difference had been used to separate teams that season the Seagulls would have perished.
Having stabilised Brighton managed to win successive divisional championships to return to the second tier in 2002. The club then yo-yoed for a couple of seasons, relegated in 2003 then promoted in 2004 after a play off final victory over Bristol City.
The 2006/07 season began with uncertainty, over the future of then manager Mark McGhee and consequently the out of contract players. Several board member, led by major shareholder Tony Bloom wanted McGhee sacked, but chairman Dick Knight still backed him. The situation was eventually resolved with McGhee retained as manager, youth coach Dean Wilkins promoted to first team coach, and fist team coach Dean White named chief scout.
With pre-season came mixed messages, then manager Mark McGhee proclaiming promotion was the aim, while Knight stated at the pre-season fans forum that mid-table would be acceptable. The mixed feelings for Seagulls fans continued into the season, as new non-league signing Alex Revell scored a debut goal to secure a 1-0 victory at Rotherham, but in the immediate aftermath young forward Colin Kazim-Richards handed in a transfer request that would eventually lead to him leaving the club on deadline day to sign for Sheffield United for £150,000 with a 25% sell on clause.
Results quickly deteriorated, and manager Mark McGhee was sacked at a meeting with Albion chairman Dick Knight on 7 September 2006. Assistant manager Bob Booker also left the club on the same day, after several years working with a number of managers. Many fans had lost faith in McGhee during the previous season's relegation battle, and this was cited by Knight as one of the key reasons for his departure, along with a loss of faith in the dressing room.
Following McGhee's sacking the club installed Dean Wilkins as caretaker-manager, saying they would have to give Wilkins a chance to see what he could do for the club. Chief scout Dean White was promoted to Wilkins' assistant manager. The pair were given the posts on a permanent basis on 29th September and former player Ian Chapman was also added to the coaching staff shortly afterwards.
It was to prove a difficult season for the rookie management team, whose inexperience was mirrored by that of the team, 10 youth players having been awarded contracts in the summer, along with several youth team graduates already in the first team. There were some highlights - beating Leyton Orient 4-1 home and away, winning 2-1 away at Scunthorpe United (one of only two home defeats for the eventual champions), and thrashing Conference side Northwich Victoria 8-0 at home in the first round of the FA Cup. A 3rd round tie away to West Ham United was a break from League One for Brighton's fans, but their side were beaten 3-0 after a disappointing second-half performance. Albion also reached the Southern area Semi-Final of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy. January 07 signing Bas Savage, (bye bye Bas), claimed cult fame on television programme Soccer AM for his moonwalk celebration following each one of his goals scored for the Albion, which were also proving crucial in keeping Brighton away from a relegation battle.
Watkins signed a three year extention in April 07 and rewarded the club with a surge into the play off zone this season, however that defeat at home to Port Vale could have stopped the momentum in its tracks and three points at Roots Hall are now vital to give his team a chance.
The Road to a New Stadium
For many years Brighton and Hove Albion was based at the Goldstone Ground in Hove, until the board of directors decided to sell the stadium. For two years, from 1997-99, the club shared the ground of Gillingham, but have since returned to Brighton, where they now play at Withdean Stadium. This is not predominantly a football ground, having been used for athletics throughout most of its history, and previously as a zoo. After a four-year struggle that went to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the club gained final planning permission for a new stadium at Falmer near Brighton on 28 October 2005.
The sale of the Goldstone Ground, implemented by majority shareholder Bill Archer and his chief executive David Bellotti, proved controversial, and the move provoked widespread protests against the board. The club received little if any money from this sale.
Because of the cost of the public enquiry, rent on Withdean Stadium, fees paid to use Gillingham's Priestfield Stadium, and a general running deficit due to the low ticket sales inherent with a small ground, the club had an accumulated deficit of £9.5 million in 2004. The board of directors paid £7 million of this; the other £2.5 million had to be raised from the operations of the club. In an effort to achieve this, a fundraising appeal known as the Alive and Kicking Fund was started, with everything from nude Christmas Cards featuring the players to a CD single being released to raise cash. On 9 January 2005 this fundraising single 'Tom Hark (We Want Falmer)' went straight in at number 17 in the UK chart, gaining it national airplay on Radio 1.
Unlike most clubs carrying a large debt, the club has never considered entering administration, as it was a previous period of administration that led to Archer gaining control of the club.
On 28 October 2005, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister announced that the application for Falmer had been successful, much to the joy and relief of all the fans.
Lewes District Council contested John Prescott's decision to approve planning permission for Falmer forcing a judicial review. This was based on a minor error in Prescott's original approval which neglected to state that some car parking for the stadium is in the Lewes district as opposed to the Brighton & Hove unitary authority.
Permission has been granted for the club to progress with their stadium. Shortly following the government's decision, Lewes District Council announced that they would not appeal against it, much to the relief of Albion fans. The stadium has been scheduled to open in mid way through the 2009-10 season, or the beginning of the 2010-11 season.
(Thanks to the usual suspects for their help with this article.)
Interest around this time was boosted hugely by the subsequent managerial appointments of Brian Clough, Peter Taylor and Alan Mullery. Brighton won promotion into Division Two in 1977 and after missing out on promotion to Tottenham Hotspur on goal difference the following year they made it into Division One for the one and only time in 1979. A measure of the clubs buoyancy at this time is provided by the average attendance figure of 25,265 for the 1977-78 season when the Seagulls just missed out on promotion. A far cry from the Withdean. The club relied heavily on the goals of Peter Ward and had the outstanding defensive qualities of Mark Lawrenson in their ranks. Brighton's best effort in the League Cup came in 1979 when they reached the 5th round. The club beat Millwall, Burnley and Peterborough United before losing to Nottingham Forest 3-1.
First Division life was difficult for Brighton and they were relegated in 1983. Significant consolation came the clubs way as they won through to the FA Cup final. The Seagulls had a tricky path to negotiate in reaching Wembley as well. They won a replay against Newcastle United at St James Park in round three before knocking out Manchester City 4-0, Liverpool 2-1 at Anfield, Norwich City and Sheffield Wednesday. They were famously within a whisker of beating Manchester United in the final as well. Level at 2-2 with only seconds of extra time remaining Gordon Smith saw his shot parried at point blank range and United lived to fight another day. The replay was lost 4-0.
After three seasons in mid table Brighton finished bottom of the second division in 1987 only to climb back instantly after finishing as runners up in Division Three in 1988. In 1991 Brighton only missed out on a return to the top flight after losing in a play off final 3-1 to Notts County but collapsed the following season and were relegated into the third tier of English football. Then in 1996 the club slumped into the basement.
The club was in complete turmoil around this time, struggling financially and having to play home matches at Gillingham's ground after selling the Goldstone Ground without having a site for a new stadium. There were probably one or two ex-pats living in Kent who thought this was great but the 300 mile round trip to every home game was a bit of a bugger for most Seagulls fans. In 1997, after having two points deducted, Brighton only avoided relegation to the Conference by virtue of having scored more goals than Hereford United, who they managed to draw with on the final day of the season. If goal difference had been used to separate teams that season the Seagulls would have perished.
Having stabilised Brighton managed to win successive divisional championships to return to the second tier in 2002. The club then yo-yoed for a couple of seasons, relegated in 2003 then promoted in 2004 after a play off final victory over Bristol City.
The 2006/07 season began with uncertainty, over the future of then manager Mark McGhee and consequently the out of contract players. Several board member, led by major shareholder Tony Bloom wanted McGhee sacked, but chairman Dick Knight still backed him. The situation was eventually resolved with McGhee retained as manager, youth coach Dean Wilkins promoted to first team coach, and fist team coach Dean White named chief scout.
With pre-season came mixed messages, then manager Mark McGhee proclaiming promotion was the aim, while Knight stated at the pre-season fans forum that mid-table would be acceptable. The mixed feelings for Seagulls fans continued into the season, as new non-league signing Alex Revell scored a debut goal to secure a 1-0 victory at Rotherham, but in the immediate aftermath young forward Colin Kazim-Richards handed in a transfer request that would eventually lead to him leaving the club on deadline day to sign for Sheffield United for £150,000 with a 25% sell on clause.
Results quickly deteriorated, and manager Mark McGhee was sacked at a meeting with Albion chairman Dick Knight on 7 September 2006. Assistant manager Bob Booker also left the club on the same day, after several years working with a number of managers. Many fans had lost faith in McGhee during the previous season's relegation battle, and this was cited by Knight as one of the key reasons for his departure, along with a loss of faith in the dressing room.
Following McGhee's sacking the club installed Dean Wilkins as caretaker-manager, saying they would have to give Wilkins a chance to see what he could do for the club. Chief scout Dean White was promoted to Wilkins' assistant manager. The pair were given the posts on a permanent basis on 29th September and former player Ian Chapman was also added to the coaching staff shortly afterwards.
It was to prove a difficult season for the rookie management team, whose inexperience was mirrored by that of the team, 10 youth players having been awarded contracts in the summer, along with several youth team graduates already in the first team. There were some highlights - beating Leyton Orient 4-1 home and away, winning 2-1 away at Scunthorpe United (one of only two home defeats for the eventual champions), and thrashing Conference side Northwich Victoria 8-0 at home in the first round of the FA Cup. A 3rd round tie away to West Ham United was a break from League One for Brighton's fans, but their side were beaten 3-0 after a disappointing second-half performance. Albion also reached the Southern area Semi-Final of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy. January 07 signing Bas Savage, (bye bye Bas), claimed cult fame on television programme Soccer AM for his moonwalk celebration following each one of his goals scored for the Albion, which were also proving crucial in keeping Brighton away from a relegation battle.
Watkins signed a three year extention in April 07 and rewarded the club with a surge into the play off zone this season, however that defeat at home to Port Vale could have stopped the momentum in its tracks and three points at Roots Hall are now vital to give his team a chance.
The Road to a New Stadium
For many years Brighton and Hove Albion was based at the Goldstone Ground in Hove, until the board of directors decided to sell the stadium. For two years, from 1997-99, the club shared the ground of Gillingham, but have since returned to Brighton, where they now play at Withdean Stadium. This is not predominantly a football ground, having been used for athletics throughout most of its history, and previously as a zoo. After a four-year struggle that went to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the club gained final planning permission for a new stadium at Falmer near Brighton on 28 October 2005.
The sale of the Goldstone Ground, implemented by majority shareholder Bill Archer and his chief executive David Bellotti, proved controversial, and the move provoked widespread protests against the board. The club received little if any money from this sale.
Because of the cost of the public enquiry, rent on Withdean Stadium, fees paid to use Gillingham's Priestfield Stadium, and a general running deficit due to the low ticket sales inherent with a small ground, the club had an accumulated deficit of £9.5 million in 2004. The board of directors paid £7 million of this; the other £2.5 million had to be raised from the operations of the club. In an effort to achieve this, a fundraising appeal known as the Alive and Kicking Fund was started, with everything from nude Christmas Cards featuring the players to a CD single being released to raise cash. On 9 January 2005 this fundraising single 'Tom Hark (We Want Falmer)' went straight in at number 17 in the UK chart, gaining it national airplay on Radio 1.
Unlike most clubs carrying a large debt, the club has never considered entering administration, as it was a previous period of administration that led to Archer gaining control of the club.
On 28 October 2005, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister announced that the application for Falmer had been successful, much to the joy and relief of all the fans.
Lewes District Council contested John Prescott's decision to approve planning permission for Falmer forcing a judicial review. This was based on a minor error in Prescott's original approval which neglected to state that some car parking for the stadium is in the Lewes district as opposed to the Brighton & Hove unitary authority.
Permission has been granted for the club to progress with their stadium. Shortly following the government's decision, Lewes District Council announced that they would not appeal against it, much to the relief of Albion fans. The stadium has been scheduled to open in mid way through the 2009-10 season, or the beginning of the 2010-11 season.
(Thanks to the usual suspects for their help with this article.)