Rotherham Brentford Bristol City
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Brighton could be coming to a Premier League ground near you soon..........
- Thread starter AmexRuislip
- Start date
Rotherham Brentford Bristol City
Official Old Man
Uckfield Seagull
"That season both sides were locked in an epic struggle for promotion to the First Division."
What? Both sides in the fourth tier and went up together. Exciting days.
What? Both sides in the fourth tier and went up together. Exciting days.
Did you hear about the footballer who wore a dew rag on his head? His team mates called it a dew sack and told him to take it off. He said it didn't look so bad and asked his manager what he thought. The manager said he didn't really care and it was a par-dew sack.
Possibly the only time I'm going to read the Mail and enjoy it, great stuff, thanks.
Cheeky Monkey
Well-known member
- Jul 17, 2003
- 23,044
How the hell did they not squeeze a bit about Muslim asylum seekers threatening the very fabric of East and West Sussex into that article?!
The Daily Mail - a frightening publication read by idiots.
The Daily Mail - a frightening publication read by idiots.
bn1&bn3 Albion
Well-known member
Nice to get a full article written about us but that "journalism" is lazy..
AmexRuislip
Trainee Spy 🕵️♂️
- Thread starter
- #27
Newcastle United may be leading the way in the Championship but hanging on to Rafa Benitez's side in pursuit of promotion to the top flight are Brighton.
The south coast side have never appeared in the Premier League but after a fine start to the season they are in good shape to book a place alongside the country's elite come the end of the campaign.
Why should I care?
Brighton are currently the only side able to keep pace with Championship leaders Newcastle United. In the battle of the birds the Seagulls trail the Magpies by a solitary point and are eight clear of third placed Reading.
They maintained the pressure on their nearest rivals with a comeback win at Birmingham on Saturday; veteran striker Glenn Murray bagging the winner in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
The club have had several near misses in the past, losing out on automatic promotion on goal difference last season and have reached the play-offs in three of their past four campaigns. If they do finally crack the nut come May it would result in their first ever season in the Premier League.
Brighton missed out on automatic promotion on goal difference last season before losing to Sheffield Wednesday in the play-offs +9
Brighton missed out on automatic promotion on goal difference last season before losing to Sheffield Wednesday in the play-offs
Glenn Murray, he’s been around the block. Any other players I should know about?
Murray, on a season-long loan from Bournemouth, is leading the club’s scoring charts with 14 goals, but tricky winger Anthony Knockaert has been claiming the headlines so far.
One of the most gifted players in the division, the Frenchman has a habit of overdoing it but produces goals others can only dream of, netting seven in the league already.
Think Hatem Ben Arfa, but a little less extreme. Knockaert’s father tragically passed away in November and the winger missed the trip to Bristol City as a result, but his side pulled through without him and dedicated the win to their absent team-mate.
Steve Sidwell was the hero in that game with a stunning strike from the half-way line. Other key players include centre back Lewis Dunk, midfielder Oliver Norwood and striker Sam Baldock.
Anthony Knockaert (left) has been a key member in Brighton's charge for Premier League +9
Anthony Knockaert (left) has been a key member in Brighton's charge for Premier League
Veteran Steve Sidwell has the Premier League experience to guide Brighton to promotion +9
Veteran Steve Sidwell has the Premier League experience to guide Brighton to promotion
So who is the mastermind manager leading this charge for the Premier League?
Experienced boss Chris Hughton has been in charge since the last day of 2014 when Brighton were languishing in 21st place in the Championship. He guided the club to safety with a back-to-basics approach, prioritising defensive solidity before adding attacking verve over the following seasons.
Calm and collected, Hughton will ensure his players keep their feet on the ground until the deed is done. 'One thing I know about this division is that you cannot dwell or get carried away,' he told the press after a 5-0 win over Norwich City in October.
Chris Hughton applauds fans following his side's 2-1 win at Birmingham City last time out +9
Chris Hughton applauds fans following his side's 2-1 win at Birmingham City last time out
The Brighton boss has previously guided Newcastle United to the Premier League +9
The Brighton boss has previously guided Newcastle United to the Premier League
AdvertisementIf the football's on, it's on
LIVE TABLES
FIXTURES
SCORES
Championship
Premier League
League One
League Two
Scottish Premiership
Scottish Div 1
Scottish Div 2
Scottish Div 3
Ligue 1
Serie A
La Liga
Bundesliga
Team P GD Pts
1 Newcastle United 22 28 49
2 Brighton and Hove Albion 22 21 48
3 Reading 22 1 40
4 Huddersfield Town 22 0 39
5 Leeds United 22 4 38
6 Sheffield Wednesday 22 3 37
7 Derby County 22 8 36
8 Birmingham City 22 -2 34
9 Fulham 22 10 33
10 Norwich City 22 3 33
11 Preston North End 22 3 32
12 Barnsley 22 3 31
13 Aston Villa 22 2 31
14 Brentford 22 -1 28
15 Ipswich Town 22 -2 28
16 Bristol City 22 1 27
17 Nottingham Forest 22 -4 26
18 Wolverhampton Wanderers 22 -2 25
19 Queens Park Rangers 22 -11 23
20 Cardiff City 22 -12 23
21 Burton Albion 22 -7 22
22 Blackburn Rovers 22 -10 20
23 Wigan Athletic 22 -9 18
24 Rotherham United 22 -27 10
More tables
Will they get the deed done then?
The Championship is one of the world’s least predictable leagues, so no one is making any assumptions, least of all Murray.
'We are only halfway there. There is a hell of a lot of football to go and it can all go wrong in the blink of an eye,' he told the Brighton Argus on Thursday.
Brighton are currently on a 16-game unbeaten run in the league, but Murray warned the real test will come when that streak comes to an end, saying: 'That’s when we’ve really got to knuckle down and show what we are about.'
How much longer is the run likely to last?
Their immediate focus will be on their next game, at home to struggling QPR on December 27. January could prove a pivotal month for the club with three key fixtures against promotion rivals. Brighton travel to free scoring Fulham before they welcome sixth placed Sheffield Wednesday to Hove on January 20. Hughton will take on his former club Newcastle at home the following week. Brighton have a reasonably favourable run-in, finishing at Villa Park on May 7.
Brighton have emerged as chief challengers to Championship leaders Newcastle United +9
Brighton have emerged as chief challengers to Championship leaders Newcastle United
Speaking of January, can they keep hold of their key men? Any additions?
Albion have already knocked back bids for Knockaert from Newcastle, but that was back in August and the Frenchman has subsequently said he is committed to helping his club achieve their own promotion ambitions.
With Dunk and fellow defender Beram Kayal recently signing new deals, Hughton looks to be focussing on keeping his squad together rather than making any major splashes in the transfer market.
Well that’s the here and now, what about some blasts from the past?
Brighton’s ascent to the big time would complete an improbably journey from the brink of liquidation during the 1996-97 campaign.
A late goal from Robbie Reinelt saved the club from relegation to the Conference on the last day of that season, but the Seagulls were forced to sell their Goldstone Ground stadium in order to pay off the club’s debts.
They went homeless for twelve years, ground-sharing and leasing from the council until they moved into the Amex Stadium in 2011 following investment from Chairman Tony Bloom. It won an international award for best new venue in 2012 and now seats over 30,000 Sussex locals.
Robbie Reinelt celebrates on the final day of the 1996-97 season after keeping Brighton in the Football League at the expense of Hereford United +9
Robbie Reinelt celebrates on the final day of the 1996-97 season after keeping Brighton in the Football League at the expense of Hereford United
Sussex you say, so who are their south coast rivals?
Crystal Palace.
They are from London.
Yes, they are. The Eagles and the Seagulls are the best of enemies.
Not this birds thing again…
Actually there is something in that if you read on but it all started with Terry Venables.
El Tel was appointed Palace manager in June 1976, a month before his old Spurs team-mate and rival Alan Mullery was named manager of Brighton. That season both sides were locked in an epic struggle for promotion to the First Division.
Brighton's rivals are Crystal Palace who they last met in 2013 during a losing effort in the semi-finals of the play-offs. Pictured are Brighton's Will Buckley (left) and Palace's Wilfried Zaha +9
Brighton's rivals are Crystal Palace who they last met in 2013 during a losing effort in the semi-finals of the play-offs. Pictured are Brighton's Will Buckley (left) and Palace's Wilfried Zaha
They went head-to-head on five occasions, including a three match FA Cup replay fest, which ended in a Palace fan drenching Mullery in hot coffee. Venables and Mullery would toy with each other continually; Venables playing an injured striker with a scoring streak against Brighton purely to psyche them out.
Eventually both sides went up but a lasting rivalry had been born. As a mark of their newfound animosity Brighton switched their nickname from the Dolphins to the Seagulls in a lame ornithological challenge to the Eagles.
Randsta
New member
..."welcome sixth placed Sheffield Wednesday to Hove on January 20"
Where are we playing Sheffield Wednesday? Hove Park?
Where are we playing Sheffield Wednesday? Hove Park?
Nixonator
Well-known member
Condescending load of bollocks, not just to us but the Championship too. Starts off as it means to go on with the title.
Still, will serve us well if we get there.
Still, will serve us well if we get there.
You expect accuracy from the mail?
I'm glad you posted this, I really hate newspaper links, I've given up reading links to The Argus.
Sheebo
Well-known member
- Jul 13, 2003
- 29,297
No dig at you there, all at him! I bet he's got the bit of Palace history from Neil Ashton though. Lazy journalist
He's on Twitter: [MENTION=26391]Miles[/MENTION]Dilworth
He's been pointed in the direction of this thread
Looks about 12 with bum fluff galore too. 
Bob'n'weave
Well-known member
Ask anyone who remembers The Bosun, apparently twas born in that very legendary BHA boozer.
albionfan37
Well-known member
But they could of said the best bit about mullery throwing his loose change at the palace fans
Bob'n'weave
Well-known member
...........Running down the Shoreham Road to See Alan Mullery's Aces. THE ALBION!!!!!
Not Andy Naylor
Well-known member
Mail Online is mostly put together by work experience kids, not proper journalists. None of their bylines will ever appear in the paper. Bearing that in mind, this is much more accurate than you'd expect.
- Apr 5, 2014
- 23,599
Thitd tier, but still. You're much closer than this journalist.