BOSS Chris Hughton has urged Albion to maintain their formidable form at the Amex.
He says home wins are a must to mount another serious promotion challenge.
Championship points are at stake against Nottingham Forest at the Amex tonight for the first time this season following Tuesday’s 4-0 romp in the League Cup at Colchester.
Hughton wants his players to build on the opening 0-0 draw at Derby and continue where they left off last season, when 15 of their 24 victories were on home soil and they took 50 points out of 69.
Hughton told The Argus: “It’s massively important. It won’t only be us. Any team that does well in any division is going to do so on the back of a good home record.
“There will be some exceptions, teams that seem to do better away from home perhaps because of the way they play, but the large majority will do well because of their home record.
“We’d be no different. We have a wonderful stadium and an excellent surface as well, and we have to make the most of that.
“It was good for us last season and for us to do well again this season we will have to have a good home record.”
Beating Forest 1-0 in the first home game last season launched a run of eight straight wins at the Amex followed by a hat-trick of defeats and an undefeated sequence after New Year’s Day until the end of the campaign.
The figures will be hard to repeat but Hughton said: “We are, no doubt, more comfortable now than we were at this stage last season.
“We’ve got players that have been with us for a year, or six months in Skalak and Knockaert’s situation.
“It has showed in our recruitment this summer, which has been minimal compared to last.
“We are definitely in a better position than this time last year but it doesn’t count for anything unless you get the results and it doesn’t guarantee that we will do better.
“At that stage it was young and it was fresh, everybody was signing and there was that enthusiasm.
“Now that changes for a bit more experience, we know the league. We’ve got to make sure not to take away any of that enthusiasm – that’s crucial.”
Original article
He says home wins are a must to mount another serious promotion challenge.
Championship points are at stake against Nottingham Forest at the Amex tonight for the first time this season following Tuesday’s 4-0 romp in the League Cup at Colchester.
Hughton wants his players to build on the opening 0-0 draw at Derby and continue where they left off last season, when 15 of their 24 victories were on home soil and they took 50 points out of 69.
Hughton told The Argus: “It’s massively important. It won’t only be us. Any team that does well in any division is going to do so on the back of a good home record.
“There will be some exceptions, teams that seem to do better away from home perhaps because of the way they play, but the large majority will do well because of their home record.
“We’d be no different. We have a wonderful stadium and an excellent surface as well, and we have to make the most of that.
“It was good for us last season and for us to do well again this season we will have to have a good home record.”
Beating Forest 1-0 in the first home game last season launched a run of eight straight wins at the Amex followed by a hat-trick of defeats and an undefeated sequence after New Year’s Day until the end of the campaign.
The figures will be hard to repeat but Hughton said: “We are, no doubt, more comfortable now than we were at this stage last season.
“We’ve got players that have been with us for a year, or six months in Skalak and Knockaert’s situation.
“It has showed in our recruitment this summer, which has been minimal compared to last.
“We are definitely in a better position than this time last year but it doesn’t count for anything unless you get the results and it doesn’t guarantee that we will do better.
“At that stage it was young and it was fresh, everybody was signing and there was that enthusiasm.
“Now that changes for a bit more experience, we know the league. We’ve got to make sure not to take away any of that enthusiasm – that’s crucial.”
Original article