Brighton & Hove Albion

McGhee prepared for loan pursuit
Brighton boss Mark McGhee is ready to enter the loan market, after missing out on several permanent signings before last week's transfer deadline. Football League clubs are able to sign players on loan from Friday. \"The only players available on Saturday beyond the 16 that turned out were Scott Chamberlain and Tommy Fraser,\" McGhee told the Seagulls' website. \"Neither of them have featured in the first team before. That's why we'll be trying to sign players on loan.\"

McGhee to leave job at Brighton
Brighton and Hove Albion have parted company with manager Mark McGhee. The ex-Reading, Leicester, Wolves and Millwall boss and assistant Bob Booker leave immediately with youth coach Dean Wilkins taking temporary charge. McGhee joined Brighton in October 2003 but leaves with them struggling in 17th place in League One. \"Mark has lost the backing of the fans and I've taken the decision which I think is right for the club,\" said Brighton chairman Dick Knight. \"Mark understands that and has agreed to step down. A lot of people thought Mark would be leaving at the end of last season but at that time I backed him, I thought he needed the chance. \"What has happened is the fans have really got on Mark's back and that is the way it is in football, and the team needs to be rejuvenated.\" Wilkins will take over as caretaker until a full-time successor is identified.

Millwall 0-1 Brighton
Marvin Elliott's last-gasp own goal sealed Millwall's first home loss of the season against a Brighton side reduced to 10 men early on. A poor first half was notable only for Richard Carpenter's 32nd-minute red card for a lunge at Filipe Morais. Zak Whitbread and Danny Senda saw shots blocked as Millwall failed to break down a stubborn Seagulls defence. And Elliott deflected Dean Cox's low free-kick past Chris Day on 88 minutes to give the visitors an unlikely win. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Millwall: Day, Senda, Shaw, Robinson, Whitbread, Williams, Morais, McInnes, Elliott, Ardley (Byfield 54), Braniff (Hubertz 64). Subs Not Used: Pidgeley, Ross, Dunne. Booked: Elliott, Morais, Williams. Brighton: Kuipers, Reid (Fraser 63), El-Abd, Lynch, Santos, Hammond, Carpenter, Cox, Rents (Mayo 46), Revell, Hart. Subs Not Used: Henderson, Frutos, Robinson. Sent Off: Carpenter (34). Booked: El-Abd, Fraser, Mayo. Goals: Elliott 88 og. Att: 9,372. Ref: A D'Urso (Essex).

Wilkins hails Seagulls after win
Brighton caretaker manager Dean Wilkins admitted Saturday's win over Millwall capped a \"manic\" weekend for him. Marvin Elliott's 88th-minute own goal gave the Seagulls all three points just a day after Mark McGhee left the club. And Wilkins said: \"It's been a manic 36 hours but we got the team organised, we got the result and now we move on. \"The reason we won was down to the way we organised things and the discipline with which the players applied our instructions, so full credit to them.\"

Brighton v Bournemouth
Brighton defender Richard Carpenter will miss the home tie with Bournemouth after being sent off at the weekend. He will be joined on the sidelines by Adam Hinshelwood (knee), Charlie Oatway (ankle) and Joe Gatting (foot). Lionel Ainsworth has returned to the Bournemouth squad after missing the weekend win on compassionate leave. The game may come too soon for new signing Darren Anderton, who had his first training session with the squad on Monday.

Wilkins coy about Brighton role
Brighton caretaker boss Dean Wilkins is not giving much away about whether he is set to be offered the job full-time. He took his first game in charge for Saturday's 1-0 win against Millwall. Wilkins told Sir Stanley: \"I genuinely do the job on a daily basis and try and help every individual and be honest with them. \"If it takes me further, it takes me further - if it doesn't then so be it. I love the club and do not look at anything beyond that.\"

Brighton 2-2 Bournemouth
Eddie Howe's late header gave Bournemouth a deserved point. Steve Foley put the Cherries ahead after 35 minutes, but they then lost Marcus Browning when he was sent off after a clash with Tommy Fraser. Dean Hammond headed Brighton level after 53 minutes and Alex Revell added a second seven minutes later when he fired home Fraser's pass. But Howe scored with 16 minutes left and James Hayter wasted a late chance to give Bournemouth victory. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Brighton: Kuipers, Reid (El-Abd 88), Mayo, Lynch, Santos, Frutos, Hammond, Cox, Fraser (Loft 90), Hart (Robinson 71), Revell. Subs Not Used: Sullivan, Butters. Goals: Hammond 53, Revell 60. Bournemouth: Stewart, Young, Purches, Browning, Broadhurst, Cooper, Best (Fletcher 65), Foley (Hollands 70), Hayter, Howe (Gowling 87), Cummings. Subs Not Used: Moss, Cooke. Sent Off: Browning (45). Booked: Howe. Goals: Foley 35, Howe 74. Att: 5,958 Ref: K Hill (Hertfordshire).

Brighton v Leyton Orient
Brighton will be without midfielder Richard Carpenter as he is suspended. The Seagulls are also missing Charlie Oatway (ankle) and Joe Gatting (foot), while Adam Hinshelwood is still a month away following a knee problem. Leyton Orient hope to have striker Lee Steele (viral infection) and defender Clayton Fortune back after both players missed the last two League One games. Orient have lost all four of their away games in League One this term, so boss Martin Ling may change his formation.

Brighton 4-1 Leyton Orient
Brighton continued their unbeaten run under caretaker-boss Dean Wilkins with their biggest victory for a year. The hosts were helped by the early dismissal of Leyton Orient defender John Mackie for fouling Gary Hart and two minutes later Paul Reid struck. Adam El-Abd doubled the lead with a long-range strike and Dean Cox scored from an acute angle before the break. Dean Hammond's penalty was saved but Doug Loft restored the three-goal lead after Matt Lockwood's spot-kick goal. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Brighton: Kuipers, El-Abd, Santos (Fraser 87), Lynch, Mayo, Cox, Hammond, Reid, Revell, Hart (Robinson 78), Frutos (Loft 68). Subs Not Used: Sullivan, Butters. Booked: Mayo. Goals: Reid 16, El-Abd 31, Cox 45, Loft 90. Leyton Orient: Morris, Tann, Mackie, Fortune, Lockwood, Corden (Miller 17), Barnard, Chambers, Keith, Alexander (Ibehre 73), Steele (McMahon 45). Subs Not Used: Connor, Saah. Sent Off: Mackie (15). Booked: Chambers, Ibehre. Goals: Lockwood 83 pen. Att: 6,003. Ref: D Drysdale (Lincolnshire).

Yeovil v Brighton
Yeovil Town boss Russell Slade is not planning on making any changes to his side as they aim to make it three wins in a row against Brighton. But on-loan striker Marcus Stewart (ankle) is a slight doubt after he was substituted at the weekend. Brighton head to Yeovil without midfielder Paul Reid after he suffered a knee injury at Carlisle. Defender Adam El-Abd faces a late fitness check on an ankle knock while Guy Butters is struggling with illness.

Brighton v Chesterfield
Brighton caretaker-boss Dean Wilkins is set to hand 19-year-old Sam Williams his debut after the striker joined on loan from Aston Villa. Paul Reid is out for the rest of the season with knee ligament damage and Alex Frutos may return to the side. Chesterfield make one change to their squad, with Alan O'Hare back after four games out with an ankle injury. Shane Nicholson (groin), Gareth Davies (pelvis) and Steve Blatherwick (back) are all still sidelined.

Wilkins asks Albion fans to wait
New Brighton boss Dean Wilkins wants Seagulls fans to be patient as his side try to turn around their poor form. He told the Brighton Evening Argus: \"The way fans reacted at the end of the defeat by Chesterfield was terrific. \"I think it is because they saw players desperately trying to get us back in the game at the death. \"As long as we keep doing that and the fans recognise the whole picture, I think they will slowly start to see better performances as well.\"

Wilkins understands fan reaction
Manager Dean Wilkins felt Brighton's fans had 'every right' to boo his side off after losing 3-0 to Blackpool - their fifth successive defeat. \"I sympathise completely with the supporters,\" Wilkins insisted. \"They have every right after a performance like that to boo us off the pitch and chant 'what a load of rubbish'. We have to put it right. \"We'll watch the match video and I hope it will embarrass the players when they see what they have done out there.\"

Scunthorpe v Brighton
Scunthorpe should name the same team that thrashed leaders Nottingham Forest last weekend, with the Iron having no new injury or suspension problems. Steve Torpey could return following a thigh problem and Dave Mulligan is pushing for a start at full-back. Brighton welcome back keeper Wayne Henderson after international duty, but Alex Frutos is out through suspension. Georges Santos is available to play, while Jeol Lynch has shaken off mild concussion in time to figure.

Scunthorpe 1-2 Brighton
Brighton claimed a shock win against 10-man Scunthorpe at Glanford Park. The Iron lost Steve Foster to a straight red card after a violent challenge on Sam Williams. Brighton went ahead when Steve Cox headed home a cross from Andrew Whing, but Scunthorpe levelled on 43 minutes when Billy Sharp forced the ball in. Albion won it in the 52nd minute when Whing went down the right to provide a near-post cross which was swept past goalkeeper Joe Murphy by Gary Hart. Scunthorpe: Murphy, Hinds, Crosby, Foster, Williams (Mulligan 45), Taylor, Baraclough (MacKenzie 76), Sparrow, Morris (Torpey 61), Keogh, Sharp. Subs Not Used: Lillis, McBreen. Sent Off: Foster (17). Booked: Sharp, Torpey. Goals: Sharp 43. Brighton: Henderson, Whing, Adam Hinshelwood, Butters, Mayo (Lynch 79), Hart, Fraser (Rents 88), Hammond, Cox, Revell, Williams (Robinson 45). Subs Not Used: Kuipers, Gatting. Booked: Whing, Cox, Hammond. Goals: Cox 23, Hart 52. Att: 5,607 Ref: D Deadman (Cambridgeshire).

View Full Version: Brighton & Hove Albion