Brighton & Hove Albion

Brighton & Hove Albion
Ipswich missed out on automatic Premiership promotion after drawing with Brighton, which was enough to keep the Seagulls in the Championship. Joe Royle's side had the perfect start when Shefki Kuqi put them ahead after just four minutes. But their lead was quickly erased when Adam Virgo's turning volley brought Brighton back into the game. Ipswich had a later penalty appeal turned down but it made no difference in the wake of Wigan's win. Both Wigan and Ipswich had gone into the final game of the Championship level on points but Wigan's victory over Reading moved Ipswich into the play-offs. Ipswich took the lead when Kuqi found the target for the 19th time this season. Some dire defending by Virgo let the Finnish striker run clear on Bent's pass and he fired the ball past the diving Alan Blayney. But Virgo made amends within five minutes with a superbly-taken left-footed volley as he turned his man. Gary Hart rose superbly to head Richard Carpenter's curling free-kick goalbound, but Kelvin Davis pulled off an excellent reflex save only to see Virgo find the target with the rebound. Both sides had chances in the remainder of a niggly first half, which saw a trio of innocuous yellow cards dished out. Ipswich could consider themselves unlucky, however, after appeals for a penalty were turned down when Bent was brought down in the area by Charlie Oatway on the half-hour mark. They came out for the second half determined to grab the win, with manager Joe Royle playing four strikers for the final 15 minutes. Brighton keeper Blayney halted two relatively straightforward chances in the opening 15 minutes of the half. First he held onto a weak Jim Magilton free-kick and then covered a Bent strike after the front man had been put clear by Kuqi. Brighton's best chance of the half came with 20 minutes left when the terrier-like Leon Knight whipped the ball across the face of the goal, but Dean Hammond hoofed it into the ground. That combination also came close in the final five minutes but Hammond under-hit his pass to Knight. The home side's fans had to endure a nervous final 20 minutes as Ipswich's strikers harangued them. Defeat would have dropped them a division but they did just enough to hold on. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Brighton: Blayney, El-Abd, Butters, Reid, Harding, Hart, Oatway, Carpenter, Knight, Hammond, Virgo. Subs: Mayo, Nicolas, Shaaban, McPhee, Robinson. Ipswich: Davis, Wilnis, De Vos, Naylor, Unsworth, Magilton, Miller, Westlake, Currie, Bent, Kuqi. Subs: Diallo, Counago, Horlock, Scowcroft, Price. Referee: M Jones (Cheshire)

Virgo hails Albion survival feat
Brighton defender Adam Virgo feels the Seagulls deserve more recognition for theur successful battle against relegation this season. "This is the greatest achievement, more than the two division wins and the play-off season," Virgo said. "Staying up is a massive feat with the suspensions we have had, plus sales, retirements, money and the ground," he told the Brighton Evening Argus. "I think the manager (Mark McGhee) should be up for an award."

Knight signs new deal at Brighton
Brighton striker Leon Knight has signed a new one-year contract with the club. The 22-year-old, whose existing deal was due to run out at the end of the month, managed only four goals last season as the Seagulls struggled. He said: "It's a relief to have got things done. We can look forward now. I want to score more, create more and help us finish further up the table. "The manager believes I can hit the heights next season, so hopefully everything will go well."

Knight worried by Brighton losses
Brighton chairman Dick Knight said the club face an uncertain future unless the move to the proposed new stadium at Falmer is approved. The club announced £1.273m losses for the year to June 2004, despite selling Bobby Zamora to Spurs and receiving compensation for ex-boss Steve Coppell. "The directors cannot keep putting their hands in their pockets," Knight told the Brighton Argus. "The club has no future if it is not allowed to go to a decent stadium." He added: "If there is a 'no' to Falmer the club would, at best, stumble along at Withdean for a few more years. "It would be condemned to being a lower league club - which league I wouldn't like to say - because the losses we are having at the moment are not sustainable over time. "

McGhee keen to bring Blayney back
Brighton boss Mark McGhee is confident Southampton keeper Alan Blayney will return to the Withdean next season. Blayney impressed McGhee as the on-loan Saints keeper took over for the last seven games of Brighton's scrap to avoid the drop. McGhee told the Brighton Argus: "My understanding is that he would like to move here permanently. "He's got a year left on his contract at Saints and if they want a fee for him, that probably rules it out

Brighton gets permission to play
Brighton and Hove Albion has been given permission to play at Withdean for another three years while it waits for a decision on plans for a new stadium. Brighton and Hove City Council has also said it can create nearly 2,000 extra seats at Withdean, bringing the ground's capacity up to 9,000. Permission was granted on condition the club provides 200 extra park-and-ride spaces to ease traffic problems. The club is waiting for the result of an inquiry into a stadium at Falmer. The Seagulls were told to re-apply for planning permission to play at Withdean because of a technicality. The city council admitted it acted unlawfully because it did not give a reason when it extended consent last year. On Wednesday the planning committee also gave the go-ahead for a new two-storey hospitality suite, changing rooms, stewards' room and club office and turnstiles. Up to three matches per season can also be played on a Sunday. The Withdean athletics clubhouse will be replaced with a new pavilion and minor improvements to the athletics areas made. "These will ensure that athletics events at the stadium are still equally important as football matches," said a city council spokeswoman. 'Permanent home' Planning committee chair Leslie Hamilton said: "The city recognises the important role the club plays in the local community and its need to find a solution to its accommodation problem. "Permission to play at Withdean until June 2008 offers the best temporary solution until a permanent home for the Albion can be found." The football club has held home games at the Withdean Stadium since 1999. The club's last permanent home, the Goldstone Ground, closed in 1997 when the site was sold for retail development. Deputy prime minister John Prescott has yet to make a decision on plans for a 22,000 stadium at Falmer following a lengthy public inquiry.

October deadline set for Falmer
Brighton will discover whether their planned new stadium at Falmer has been approved by 31 October this year. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has told the club to expect a decision on or before that date. Chief executive Martin Perry told Albion's website: "It's nice to have a deadline, as previously there have been no set periods for decisions. "Last time we waited from December until July (2004), before we were told the inquiry was to be reopened." The Seagulls, who have played at the Withdean athletics stadium since 1999, submitted a planning application for Falmer in 2001 but have been battling to realise their plans since then. The public inquiry into the planned 22,000-seater ground began in 2003 and has twice been adjourned without a decision, restarting on 1 February 2005.

Brighton in plea for fans support
Brighton chief executive Martin Perry Says fans must play a part in securing the club's move to a new stadium. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister will decide on October 31 whether to grant Albion's request to build a new ground in the Falmer area of the city. "What we have now is the final, final push," said Perry. "They should keep writing to (Deputy Prime Minister) John Prescott and to the media, and then hopefully we will get the right decision on October 31."

Rodger could make playing return
Former Brighton midfielder Simon Rodger is set to resume playing next season. The 33-year-old was forced to retire in October 2004 by a knee injury but has now had the all-clear to return. Rodger told the Brighton Evening Argus: "I've had another operation on my knee through a different surgeon and he has done a great job on it. "I am going to do pre-season training and see how it goes. If I am happy with the knee I may do a bit of non-league football and I am open to offers."

Breech signs pro deal at Brighton
Brighton have handed a professional contract to 19-year-old Chris Breach. Breach, who can play in defence or midfield, has risen up through the youth ranks to earn his chance with the seagulls first team next season. "I've always dreamed of becoming a professional footballer and to do it in my home town is even better," he told the club's official website. "I've been out for a while with a broken foot, but signing my contract has kept my mind off the injury."

Brighton net windfall for player
Brighton have had their summer transfer kitty boosted by £250,000 after a supporter won the Coca-Cola 'Win A Player' competition. Lifelong fan Aaron Berry, 29, scooped the prize from over a million entries received through the website or text messages which were put into the draw. Seagulls boss Mark McGhee said: "This windfall makes a big difference to us. "Having the extra player could be the difference between staying in the Championship or being relegated." McGhee added: "We were looking at players but this means we can actually have the budget to go and get at least one of them." Berry said: "I've supported Brighton all my life and watched them suffer through many difficult times so to win £250,000 to spend on some new players is a dream come true. "I'd love us to buy a striker, but I have faith in the gaffer and will back whatever decision he makes."

Another year for Albion stalwart
Brighton midfielder Kerry Mayo has extended his long stay at the club by signing a one-year deal. His new contract will see him complete 10 years with the Seagulls, entitling him to a testimonial. "All in all it's going to be a great year for me, and hopefully for the club in general," the 27-year-old told Brighton's website. "It's an important year for myself, and it makes such a big difference that we will be playing in the Championship."

Knight urges Harding to sign deal
Brighton chairman Dick Knight has told defender Dan Harding the club will not break their wage structure but hope he will sign a new contract. The 21-year-old is out of contact but Knight told the Brighton Argus: "The offer is not going to change. "No club has made an approach for him and he is still a Brighton player. "We hope he will be starting with us next season but I cannot say that for definite because he has not yet signed the contract yet." Harding is currently on holiday and a decision is expected upon his return.

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