The greatest Brighton manager we've had?

[Spiros]

In the 30 years or so that I've been watching the best is definitely Micky Adams. Then it's close between Peter Taylor I for laying the foundations of a great side and Alan Mullery for building on it, although money was nowhere near a constraint like it was for Adams. Then comes Steve Gritt for the last season at the Goldstone, though he blotted his record once we went to Gillingham.

The likes of Chris Cattlin were OK, but not in legend category.

 

[Northstander]

Mickey Adams came to the club and The Pheonix arose from ths ashes.

Due to our current infrastructure we cannot IMHO go any further...YET!

The fact remains that since I have been watching the Seagulls, Mickey has far outshone anyone I can think of.

 

[Braders]

adams!

 

[Uncle Spielberg]

1. Mullery
2. Adams
3. Gritt
4. Cattlin
5. Taylor 1
6. Taylor 2
7. Horton
8. Bonking Barry

 

[Brovion]

Good analysis there Woodingdea Gull. I also liked Cattlin's saying: "Southampton could be a big club but Brighton could be a great club".

 

[Spicy]

I would have to go for Adams as well.

 

[Row Z Creased Shirt]

An interesting thread, especially for those of us with short Albion memories. When I moved to Brighton, the club was barely breathing after the life saver at Hereford and to be sitting here just a few years later with two championships in the bag and a heady flirtation with the first division under our belt is just amazing.

For me the turning point was the arrival of Adams and the run at the end of his first season in div 3. A nice mostly unbeaten run which saw us miss out on the playoffs but set the foundation for the championship the following season. Then I finally had my debut season as a season ticket holder and events on the pitch were finally as important as events off the pitch for a change. That first championship turned this club around IMHO. The Albion finally became a football club again rather than a financial basket case just trying to stay afloat. Adams gave the club the belief to look forward to achieving great things on the pitch other than just survival.

Peter Taylor made the most of his inheritance, but for me Mickey got it all going, a true legend.

I'm afraid I can't comment on messers Mullery, Cattlin, Lloyd etc as I was not here but I am enjoying the history lesson provided on this thread.

 

[Cheshire]

Both Mickey Adams and Peter Taylor 1 took over teams in a mess and put in place the foundations for a ascent to levels which would have been barely imaginable when they arrived. Taylor's style has been criticised but you can't argue with his results. They would be my top 2 followed by Mullery and Cattlin.

I would say this order is about right. However as already mentioned I think the size of the task Cattlin faced with financial restraints tighter than they are today has been underestimated. The main problem was the gamble on Fashanu's fitness without any insurance - had it paid off...........?

 

[coach03]

How about Pat Saward in the early seventies?

Not sure I could honestly say he was the best manager we ever had, but he did a fantastic job at the time and I'm surprised no-one seems to have mentioned him so far.

 

[Kent Seagull]

Oh my God, FG agrees with me!