MATCH PREVIEW: BRIGHTON vs CARDIFF CITY
Match Previews
1st October
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION vs CARDIFF CITY
Venue: The Amex Community Stadium
Date: Saturday 3rd October 2015, 3pm kick-off
City travel to take on league leaders Brighton & Hove Albion in their final Sky Bet Championship match before the October international break.
THE OPPOSITION
The Seagulls have exceeded all expectations at the start of this campaign and top the Sky Bet Championship table. After finishing in twentieth place last season, Chris Hughton’s men are now the only unbeaten side in the Football League.
‘Keeper David Stockdale and defensive stalwart Gordon Greer have built a platform for the Club’s early success, while Dale Stephens and Beram Kayal have been almost ever-present in midfield.
Kazenga LuaLua and Tomer Hemed, a summer signing from Almería, have led the way in front of goal, with nine strikes between them already – although both are a doubt for Saturday’s match.
The Seasiders have also recruited Gaëtan Bong, winger Jamie Murphy and vastly experienced German defender Uwe Hünemeier. However, perhaps the most significant signing for Seagulls supporters was the summer return of fan-favourite Bobby Zamora, who last played for the Club in 2003.
CLUB CONNECTIONS
Russell Slade is a hero to many on the south coast, having masterminded the Seagulls’ escape from relegation in 2009. Slade was appointed in March that year tasked with leading the Club away from the League 1 bottom four.
Come the final day of the season, the fans carried him off the pitch, after five wins and two draws from their last eight games saw them rise to sixteenth place.
City winger Craig Noone also enjoyed success during his time with the Seagulls. The Liverpudlian moved to the Amex on 31st December 2010, having shot to prominence with Plymouth Argyle, and starred for the Club over two years.
Meanwhile, Alex Revell is another popular former Seagull, having netted an impressive eighteen goals for Brighton from 2006 to 2008, after joining from Braintree Town.
MEMORABLE MEETING
Cardiff City 1-1 Brighton & Hove Albion
Ninian Park - Saturday, 29 September 2001
Bobby Zamora netted for Brighton in a 1-1 draw at Ninian Park – almost fourteen years before his recent return to the Club.
Then just twenty years old, Zamora put the Seagulls ahead in the year that they’d earn their second successive promotion - rising to the First Division. That was a huge turnaround for the south coast side, considering they nearly went out of business competing at the basement of the Football League from 1996 to 1998.
They weren’t to win at Ninian though, as City striker Paul Brayson equalised ten minutes from time. Andy Legg put in the cross for City, and when Peter Thorne headed against the post, Brayson was on hand to smash home.
The Bluebirds would go on to finish fourth, losing in the play-offs to Stoke before earning promotion the following year.
Cardiff City: Alexander, Weston, Simpkins, Prior, Gabbidon, Low, Kavanagh, Boland, Hamilton, Brayson, Thorne.
Subs: Legg, Fortune-West, Bowen, Hughes, Jeanne.
Brighton & Hove Albion: Kuipers, Watson, Mayo, Cullip, Morgan, Rogers, Oatway, Carpenter, Hart, Jones, Zamora.
Subs: Pitcher, Brooker, Steele, Wicks, Pethick.
DON'T MISS A MOMENT
TICKETS:Online:www.eticketing.co.uk/cardiffcityPhone: 0845 345 1400
LISTEN: Supporters can listen in live on Cardiff City Player HD* for all the action from Brighton vs City.
WATCH: Extended highlights of the match will be available to subscribers of Cardiff City Player HD*
SOCIAL: Live updates from the Amex Community Stadium will come via our official Twitter account, @CardiffCityFC.
*Search ‘Cardiff City’ on the App Store and Google Play Store to view Cardiff City Player HD on Smart Phones. with content available to subscribers 24/7.
