Got something to say or just want fewer pesky ads? Join us... 😊

Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club. EFL Championship runners up 2016/17



SUA Seagull

Well-known member
Jul 23, 2016
408
Stratford-upon-Avon
Like all Albion fans I’m gutted by the fact that we didn’t lift the Championship trophy today. So, so near, but, alas, it wasn’t to be. Such is life and we must move on. So let’s just take a moment to reflect on this season's achievement.

What a memorable year this has been, culminating in a joyous outcome to an emotionally exhausting journey over two incredible seasons which will forever be etched into the memories of those of us lucky enough to experience them.

As sad as I was during the long drive home from Boro’ last season (which now seems a lifetime ago) I knew then that we were all witnessing something special. Equally, I was confident at that time that we’d simply reached the mid-point in a two-year campaign to join the top flight. During the “second half” of the adventure that was to unfold into this glorious season I always believed from the outset that, lessons learned from last season’s heartache, CH would set us up to succeed. And so it proved.

Focused and determined performances week in, week out. A never give up attitude that often saw us grind out three points even when not playing at our best. A team in the true sense of the word, always displaying phenomenal spirit and camaraderie. Strength in depth. Outplaying with ease a number of high-flying teams. Stockers’ crucial penalty saves. The Albion faithful’s celebration of every single Seagulls’ goal as if we’d just won the Champions League. Passionate support at most games and always at away days (my favourites). All made possible by the best manager, squad, chairman, CEO and fans in the EFL. We are truly blessed.

For me, the current squad is the best I’ve ever seen in more than 50 years of supporting the Albion. Along with our late 1970’s heroes, they will rightly go down in the club’s history for their remarkable achievement. In only six years we have risen from League 1 to justifiably earning our seat at the top table. Who amongst us could possibly have anticipated in April 2011, when we beat Dagenham 4-3 at the Withdean to seal promotion to the Championship, that, just over six years later, we’d be travelling to Old Trafford, Anfield, Stamford Bridge, Wembley the Etihad and Emirates stadia et al?

Ignoring our 2014/15 season’s 20th placed “blip”, in our other five Championship seasons since 2011 we finished 10th, 4th, 6th, 3rd and 2nd. That is a phenomenal record for a club that has spent the lion’s share of its 116 year existence in the two lowest tiers of the football league. This season was no aberration; we have been steadily building up to this zenith during our Amex years.

And who could possibly have predicted a mere 20 years ago, post-Hereford, that we’d ever be celebrating our arrival in the Premier League in two decades’ time? From staring into the abyss of almost certain extinction we somehow survived, consolidated, rebuilt and then prospered, thanks to the Herculean efforts, strategic and financial support of passionate and committed individuals and unwavering support from thousands of fans along the way.

The Seagulls’ story is a special one, intimately known to all Albion fans. It is hard for the media and fans of other, bigger clubs to comprehend fully our unique history, the struggles we’ve encountered over the last two decades and the bond between club, fans and community that has helped us to overcome those challenges. This season sees yet another fairy tale chapter written in the remarkable up-and-down story of our beloved Albion.

I have no idea what next season’s fortunes will bring (other than a full house at the Amex for every game) nor, at this moment in time, do I remotely care. We should now simply relax, embrace our success, celebrate in style and reflect on the sheer enormity of what this club, our club, has just accomplished. We have been promoted from the Championship in style and, in so doing, we’ve outclassed and outplayed many established clubs with far bigger budgets and reputations. Little BHAFC, quietly and efficiently getting on with its job under the radar. May it always be thus.

What a magnificent and uplifting feeling it is to be a Seagull today. These are truly great times, to be savoured to the full, not least because the sustained level of success we’ve enjoyed during the last two seasons may not come around again for a while, especially for us older fans.

Mrs. SUA Seagull is especially thrilled; a degree of normality will now be restored to our household for at least a few months, this time minus the stress of the playoffs! Best of all for me, I have experienced the whole League 2 to Premier League journey with my son, who’s equally besotted with the Albion, who’s currently on cloud nine and, like me, he’ll be there for quite a while. We’ll remember our shared experiences forever.

I’m already looking forward to next season and to what I am sure will be another exciting leg of the Albion’s remarkable journey, wherever it may take us.

Up the Albion ….. the Albion are up!
 




Toongull

Active member
Jul 25, 2008
106
Hadrian's Wall
Quality post, today was frustrating but in the grand scheme of things we've had a hell of a journey these last 20 years and can look forward to next season come what may.
 




origigull

Well-known member
Jun 29, 2009
1,156
I'm with you on this, disappointing the last 3 games and a big opportunity missed but hey we have the automatic promotion to the Premier League and not through the play-offs and heartache (or not!!) It will give the players time to reflect their achievement and go on holiday and recharge their batteries whereas the players in the play-off still have to go full-pelt. I know what I would prefer.
 












SUA Seagull

Well-known member
Jul 23, 2016
408
Stratford-upon-Avon
Was it OK that I shed a tear after reading that?

Absolutely JJT! If truth be told, I really had to hold it together today when leaving Villa Park. It wasn’t so much that we failed to win in our last 3 games (both Toon and our last 8 games were evenly matched at W5 D1 L2) it was more a case that I felt we’d missed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to win the highest ever accolade in the club’s history and I couldn’t help reflecting on the fact that it might be a very long time before such an opportunity presents itself to us again. I called it my “passing comet” moment. But I am hugely uplifted by, and am eternally grateful for, the fact that we have achieved so very much in the last 20 years - and two seasons in particular - and I am incredibly proud that the record will show that we amassed 89 and 93 points in back-to-back seasons. That is a remarkable achievement and testament to how far the club has come under CH's stewardship and TB's leadership. Huge respect to both of them and all of the squad.
 




*Gullsworth*

My Hair is like his hair
Jan 20, 2006
9,351
West...West.......WEST SUSSEX
Absolutely JJT! . But I am hugely uplifted by, and am eternally grateful for, the fact that we have achieved so very much in the last 20 years - and two seasons in particular - and I am incredibly proud that the record will show that we amassed 89 and 93 points in back-to-back seasons. That is a remarkable achievement and testament to how far the club has come under CH's stewardship and TB's leadership. Huge respect to both of them and all of the squad.

That is the points fans should remember......89 & 93 points is a fantastic achievement.
 






W.C.

New member
Oct 31, 2011
4,927
What a superb, god damn it, beautiful post.

Thanks for taking the trouble to write it. Been feeling a bit dejected since yesterday's result but you've really put things in perspective.
[MENTION=6886]Bozza[/MENTION] , surely worth putting as one of NSC's articles?
 


Sussex Nomad

Well-known member
Aug 26, 2010
18,185
EP
Mirrors (in a way) 1977/78 and then 1978/79, bit of deja vu there.
 








OzMike

Well-known member
Oct 2, 2006
12,891
Perth Australia
Great read, maybe the players will get a look at this and then realise the disappointment felt by us all over the last 3 games.
Or maybe not.
 


Gazz15

New member
May 13, 2014
518
Newhaven
A good post except,

This team is not a patch on our great side of '79, most of whom later got us to Wembley in '83.

I have no doubt that side with Fozzie, Lawro. wardy, Nobby would have easily beaten this one.

Soon see, they kept us up 4 seasons until key players left, even reaching 6th in the old 1st Division?
 




The Birdman

New member
Nov 30, 2008
6,313
Haywards Heath
Great post
I have enjoyed this season as I have enjoyed surporting the seagulls through ups and downs since 1964/5 season
That's why I will surport them whatever happens next season and after as long as can.
Thank you again Tony
 


SUA Seagull

Well-known member
Jul 23, 2016
408
Stratford-upon-Avon
A good post except,

This team is not a patch on our great side of '79, most of whom later got us to Wembley in '83.

I have no doubt that side with Fozzie, Lawro. wardy, Nobby would have easily beaten this one.

Soon see, they kept us up 4 seasons until key players left, even reaching 6th in the old 1st Division?

I did reflect on that Gazz15 and agree with you that our 78/79 squad was phenomenal. It is also true that those were different times and that nowadays the game is far more technical, faster paced and squads are (generally) filled with more gifted players. I think that the Premier League – and definitely the Championship, with many of its ex-Premier League teams’ budgets fuelled by parachute payments – are tougher to compete in now than they were back then and hence it’s almost impossible to compare our teams of then and now as a result because the environments in which they both played have changed so dramatically. On balance (for me, and I accept it’s a personal opinion) I opted very marginally for today’s squad because of the more competitive regime now versus then. Both squads, however, have earned their place in Albion folklore.
 



Paying the bills

Latest Discussions

Paying the bills

Paying the bills

Paying the bills

Albion and Premier League latest from Sky Sports


Top
Link Here