Southampton - Away, Withdean Era
Season 12 (A) 23/11/10 - 0-0
Well for a kick-off, Gus Poyet had been in the hot seat for a year and based on '09/10 starting point, was doing ok in his first full season. BHA began '10/11 well, while So'ton hadn't exactly confirmed their pre-season forecast as L1 favourites with bookies. They'd got a new manager in and attempted to make up lost ground like last term - although no points deduction this time. Poyet wanted Albion to play passing football and had brought in personnel to do the job. In truth, quite a number could speak Spanish too. Meanwhile it was very tight across play-off places, just behind leaders Albion. A decent run from any club outside promo spots could put 'em in the mix with no sweat. So'ton were in the mix and 26k got along to watch on a cold nite, including 3k from Sussex and all points outside Hants.
We got a point, kept a clean sheet and it coulda been worse against a useful side with form and home advantage. They battered us early doors and El-Abd was stretchered off to be replaced by Dunk who played a blinder. Ankergren tipped a f-k round the post and didn't put a hand wrong afterwards. Defenders had a busy night but held out until half time. Smith came on early into second period to bolster attacking options. Murray joined action over the hour mark and we looked lively then. He was brought down turning in the area but Wood's spot kick was saved to maintain parity. It ended even steven, which probably was about right coz they couldn't break us down. Neither team seemed like run-away champs but it was a half decent L1 contest where neither outfit were gonna lose this south-coast derby.
Ankergren, Calderon, Greer, El-Abd (Dunk), Painter, Bennett, Dicker, Kishishev, Battipiedi (Smith), Wood, Barnes (Murray).
League1 P 18 . W 10 D 6 L 2 . F 30 A 13 . Pt 36 Po 1

Season 11 (A) 15/11/09 - 3-1 ~ Murray 2, Crofts
It was a Sunday teatime, televised to the world at large and we had a new international manager to boot. Chairman Tony Bloom selected his second boss for '9/10 and appointed Gus Poyet five days previously. He'd replaced Russ Slade who got the tin-tack for registering poor results. GP hadn't been gaffer anywhere before but was a respected coach with some degree of success to his South American name in recent years. 2700 Brighton fans went to St Mary's hoping we could become the big club Saints aspired to, once they nullified a -10pt deficit at start of this season in L1. Talk about a relegation six-pointer! Anyway it was a nice afternoon and watched by 22k odd. GP got a great reception from B'fans when in his tech area at ko.
Brighton set off at breakneck pace and pushed forward from early doors. Chances began to come along and Murray opened the scoring. On 16 min he volleyed in Cox's cross. A few moments later Fozzy ran riot and GM finished (23m), although goalie touched it onto a post Glenn followed up. It was just like watching er, Uruguay for half a hour and we shoulda been 4 up by h-t. Ref turned down a stone bonker pen to boot. But he gave a soft one to Saints (44m) and give 'em hope for second period. They gave it a go but couldn't score for toffee or a resolute Albion rearguard. Late in the evening (86m) Crofts drove home Dickinsons square ball from left flank after a swift counter. The boys done good and we all went home happy for once.
Kuipers, Whing, Elphick, Tunnicliffe, Bennett (Navarro), Dicker, Crofts, Cox (Hart), Forster (Dickinson), Murray.
League1 P 16 . W 4 D 5 L 7 . F 21 A 28 . Pt 17 Po 19

Season 7 (A) 2/1/06 - 1-2 ~ Mayo
Over 3200 Albion Bank Holiday travellers ended up inside St Mary's - stadium that is not church, for a first fixture there. The place seemed similar to Pride Park but perhaps that was because it now represented our south coast derby game. McGhee was forced to put out a scratch side as three suspensions, injuries, lack of form and discipline problems had devastated an already small squad. Knight and Kuipers had fallen out with the boss, who took immediate action by not selecting them. A French goalie and very young left back made their debuts, while the bench was stuffed with kids to make up required numbers. Dodd received an award from Saints fans but they really loved him more than us anyway.
We went 442 with a target man, wingers and some semblance of balance. B'ton fell behind early but managed to pull it back. Mayo opened his account for New Year, albeit having only a handful of appearances in those previous months of last year. The game was grinding out towards a draw when five minutes from time So'ton clinched an undeserved win via their very own youngsters. There was a strong feeling among Brighton fans that too many gaps had appeared in the squad list and that signings were due. McGhee had to replace past failure of those hired but now fired for one reason or another. Hinshelwood, Oatway, Dodd and Breach were long-term sick list casualties. Previous on loan custodians had gone home and kid keepers were untried. Nicolas, Turienzo, McPhee, Jarrett and Elphick were hung out with the washing. Things did seem very bleak for coming weeks of 2006.
Chaigneau, El-Abd, McShane, Butters, Lynch, Carole, Carpenter, Mayo, Frutos (Gatting), McCammon, Robinson (Jarrett).
Champ's P 28 . W 4 D 13 L 11 . F 27 A 43 . Pt 25 Po 22

Southampton - Home, Withdean Era
Season 12 (H) 23/4/11 - 1-2 ~ Barnes
Our penultimate home fixture (yes, only one match left!) and very last south-coast derby at the leafy theatre of trees. Brighton had been top of league1 since September, while So'ton were a street behind and trying to finish second. Albion had gotten promotion before Easter and title honours too. Gus Poyet was already a legend in his very own first full season and BHA would start at Falmer in the Championship. Albion went into this fixture undefeated at fortress Withdean and the squad knew they could score goals. It was very warm and sunny and over 8100 turned up for a near sell-out. Southampton didn't line up for the traditional guard of honour before kick-off.
Brighton were very slow out of the blocks and you wondered if it was tactical on such a hot afternoon. However, it soon became apparent Saints were a half decent outfit of Championship quality. It also appeared to be heading for stalemate at the interval for cold drinks, when a defensive slip allowed us a chance. Barnes tapped in from a poor back pass toward goalie. The second period and game, was lost from when Murray went back to changing rooms with a shoulder injury, following a declined pen appeal (50min). Albion couldn't create chances and paid the price at the death. So'ton scored twice in five minutes (84m & 89m) late in the contest while BHA back pedalled. Poyet's subs; Noone (69min) and Sandaza (85min) didn't make any difference and Seagulls were downed with big-guns Saints better abilities. We didn't look like league leaders and you worried about level two survival, if this was the best we could serve up by an equivalent L1 fixture. Gus was surely gonna add to the squad in the close season - please God! We had to be fit for purpose at the Amex.
Ankergren, Calderon, Elphick, El-Abd, Painter, Bennett, Bridcutt, Dicker, Sparrow (Sandaza), Barnes (Noone), Murray (Wood).
League1 P 43 . W 28 D 9 L 6 . F 81 A 35 . Pt 93 Po 1

Season 11 (H) 1/4/10 - 2-2 ~ Bennett, Barnes
It was Thursday evening of All Fools Day and evidently, somebody took the piss moving this fixture forward from forthcoming Easter weekend. Still, B'fans might need a short break before heading for Hartlepool on Bank Holiday Monday. Strange too how we seemed to play this south-coast derby again after four years almost to the day. It was like a pseudo World Cup regional qualifier. Last time was in yer proverbial Championship but now both outfits were stuck inside L1 and badly needed to get shit together for '10/11. Bizarrely, McGhee had quickly returned to Scotland but wasn't their national manager at time of this going on database record. There had been a hellava lot more dirty water washing around our channel coast since then anyway. At least Dick and Martin were happy these days, now Falmer was finally being constructed and looming large over that duckpond. Only another year to wait and who knows, Gus Poyet might be that special-one manager to get us there to stay. But Tony Bloom had to put hands into deep pockets to make this forever ongoing dream really come true. Yeah, he was well minted!
On 12 mins, Bennett fizzed in a touch from Crofts that fell nicely. Albion were in a tough test against p-o hopefuls and no quarter given. Ex-B'ton boy Hammond headed Saints level from a dubious f-k just before h-t (41m). Gus swapped Murray for Barnes on the hour coz he got another yellow and ban for being moody. Super sub then headed a beauty from LuaLua's cross (66m) to put us in the lead again. Pardew made a triple sub on 75min to go get So'ton points. Albion next came under late pressure and back pedalled. You could see it all slipping from our grasp. At the death (89m) Saints equalised to a six yard box stab and our blokes were on the deck as usual. Still it beat too much telly anyway, for those 7800 intrepid punters in open-air on another cold evening in Sussex. It was no joke after all.
Brezovan, Calderon, Elphick, El-Abd, Painter, Carole (LuaLua), Crofts, Navarro (Arismenti), Dicker, Bennett, Murray (Barnes)
League1 P 39 . W 12 D 12 L 15 . F 50 A 54 . Pt 48 Po 13

Season 7 (H) 8/4/06 - 0-2
There was hope beforehand of continuing a short unbeaten run. A big man had finally come in up front and McGhee said, 'there are not lots of clubs who want to help poor old Brighton out of their difficulties. We have to pay a premium.' Incidentally the flawed Falmer decision was to be referred under guidance, back to the Secretary of State. This would allow interested parties to make further submissions to be considered for another judgement. Dick Knight said, 'All power to the democratic process.' Martin Perry said, 'the design team is fully committed to the project and actively working on it in readiness for a site start next year.'
All but 8000 people set a ground record for Withdean, aided by cheap tickets at the revamped east end. On a sunny spring afternoon an influx of families, who would make up future Falmer crowds, swelled numbers. Unfortunately they were to be disappointed by Brighton's performance, where words like embarrassing were used in post report descriptions. Not long before their usual half time bollocking, Albion let in a goal typical of a poor season. Hendo parried a shot but loose balls always seemed to go to opposition and we went one down. In a slightly better second forty five minutes, Carole came on to try and get a creative influence set in motion. Southampton scored again after an hour or so, which more or less negated the change. Fans amassed behind dugouts near the end and swapped expletives with beleaguered management. There were standards to reach at this stage and B'ton was falling short on and off the pitch. Our record was in black and white - we were also now bottom of the table.
Henderson, El-Abd (Carole), Hinshelwood (Butters), McShane, Lynch, Reid, Hammond, Carpenter, Hart, Kazim-Richards, Noel-Williams (Gatting).
Champ's P 42 . W 6 D 17 L 19 . F 36 A 61 . Pt 35 Po 24

Season 3 (H) 11/9/01 LC 1 - 0-3
Brighton fans were happy to be in round two after seven years out with the washing. Not only that we'd only gone and drawn a Premiership club and Southampton would do for a kick-off. Micky Adams said, 'so far this season my players have faced many tough tests but they keep coming up with answers. However we must not think we are the finished-article just because we've started so well. All I've ever promised is a squad that will play with pride in the colours and that's what we're getting at the moment. I'd like us to relax and enjoy this occasion. Areas we can match Southampton in are commitment, hard work and enthusiasm. If we can do that I'll be delighted.' Saints came to Withdean not having scored at elite level since moving to their new home by the river Itchen. BHA had played in the last game at the Dell in May and Withdean must have come as something of a culture shock to our south coast Prem neighbours.
This game was played on the night of what quickly became known 9/11 and a crowd of nearly 6500 observed one minutes' silence, although in the circumstances it was only start of a huge aftermath to world changing events. Robert Eaton was a Brighton fan who died in that twin towers tragedy and is still remembered by supporters in an annual memorial match held in Sussex. As expected Southampton eased into round three by a somewhat flattering score. They were undoubtedly a better side, both individually and collectively and took the game to Brighton almost on a one to one basis. We needed to get forward and maybe snatch a goal to make 'em think but Ref ruled ours out for offside. And he wasn't going to give us that penalty decision now was he? Kuipers got put to a test and he might have been beaten three times but emerged with credit. He appeared one of several who could not only hold their own in a higher tier but move on up as and when. All in all it was a learning curve and a bloody steep one to boot.
Kuipers, Watson, Wicks, Morgan, Jones, Rogers (Mayo), Carpenter, Oatway, Brooker (Hart), Steele (Lehman), Zamora.