Paul Barber
Image by: Paul Hazlewood
PUBLISHED
08:00 6th January 2015
by Paul Camillin
It should be a really good day for the club and if we progress, then even better!"
Paul Barber
Paul Barber
Brighton & Hove Albion chief executive Paul Barber was delighted with last night's FA Cup draw, which paired the Seagulls with Arsenal at the Amex in round four of the competition for the second time in three seasons.Barber - who like manager Chris Hughton worked at the Gunners' North London rivals Spurs - said, "It’s fantastic for the football club, great for the supporters and obviously terrific for Chris, who has spent many years on the other side of North London battling these guys, so it should be a great draw for everyone.
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"I'm really excited about it and at Spurs we spent many years battling against Arsenal. They were arguably at their best during that period, but I’m looking forward to having them back at the Amex and I’m particularly pleased for our fans who deserve a big, plum, home draw like this, it’s fantastic.
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"It's great for the fans. It’s fantastic for the club’s reputation across the world. The FA Cup is the most popular competition anywhere in the world, and in many cases it is broadcast live across more than 200 countries every year, so it’s magnificent for the club’s reputation.
"Obviously financially there are rewards too, particularly if we get selected for live TV. We'd expect a good crowd, good hospitality sales and retail revenue. It should be a really good day for the club and if we progress, then even better!"
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And Barber feels Albion can draw on their excellent cup record since moving to the Amex in 2011 to cause an upset against the current holders."We have got a good cup reputation. We’ve beaten Newcastle twice here, beaten Sunderland and against Arsenal, a couple of years ago, we gave them a really good run for their money before eventually losing 3-2. It’s going to be a great occasion and we’re looking forward to it already.
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"We're very realistic, the league form, position and our status in the Championship is the first and most important thing for all of us at the club and I know that the players and manager will say the same thing.
"What the cup gives you though is that opportunity to release a little bit of that pressure, enjoy yourselves, express yourselves and hopefully we can get a good result which will give us that momentum that we can carry into the league programme. Everyone loves the FA Cup and Brighton no less than anyone else."
[h=3]ALBION V brentford
[/h]saturday 17th january, KICK-OFF 3PM
[h=3]Albion v ipswich
[/h]SATURDAY 24TH JANUARY, kick-off 3pm
[h=3]Albion v nottingham forest
[/h]SATURDAY 7TH februARY, kick-off 3pm
Original article