Hawkins aims to silence critics (From The Argus)

Hawkins aims to silence critics

9:30am Thursday 20th November 2008

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Colin Hawkins is desperate to be given the nod for Albion’s return home after a double FA Cup nightmare.

The Seagulls come back to Withdean for what looks a very important League One clash with Huddersfield on Saturday after clocking up the miles to Carlisle and Hartlepool.

Hawkins has come a long way, too, since he last trod the athletics stadium turf.

The big Irish defender was booed by some South Stand fans when he was taken off on his most recent home outing, shortly after heading an own goal in the 3-3 FA Cup draw with Hartlepool.

He was left out of the next two games, then brought back for the Pools replay and was the unlucky victim of a debatable penalty verdict which sent the Seagulls spinning towards a Cup exit having led at half-time.

Hawkins has been around long enough to know that incident, unfortunate though it was, will not have won him any favours from fans who jeered him at his own home ground.

He is also honest enough to accept his performance was below par after that header past John Sullivan turned the original tie against Danny Wilson’s men on its head.

Those who were among the travelling 116 at Victoria Park will have seen a pretty solid first-half defensive display, right in front of their noses in the away end, and several blocks and headers as Hartlepool moved up through the gears after the break.

But it will take a big home performance for Hawkins, an impressive addition to the squad in the opening weeks of the season, to redeem him in the eyes of some who pay their ticket money.

And he accepts that.

The former Coventry stopper declared: “I'm desperate to play on Saturday, put in a good performance at home in front of the fans and shut them up maybe, if you like.”

He added: “On a personal note it was a nice game for me to come back in against Hartlepool. I was looking to bounce back.

“The manager left me out of the next two games and I’ve got no qualms about that.

“My performances hadn’t been good enough. I’ve been making mistakes.

“That’s why that penalty has killed me even more. Again it’s my name in the paper that’s given away the penalty and it looks a bit bad.

“But again I’m big enough to take it and I thought I did okay overall.

“I thought we looked solid, to be honest, especially in the first half.

“Things aren’t going for me at the moment but I've just got to take it on the chin, work harder in training and hopefully I’ve done enough to stay in the team.”

Hawkins insists he can shrug off the boos which greeted him as he returned to the dugout after being taken off in his last home game.

He said: “It’s not nice but I didn’t notice the fans to be honest.

“They are entitled to their opinions. I had a great first half against Hartlepool and then there was that own goal.

“I've scored two in my career and that one was ridiculous.

“I don’t know what happened. It will never happen again. It’s one of those bizarre goals.

“After the own goal I didn’t play that well so the fans are entitled to their opinion.

“I’m big enough to take that. I'm not going to hide, I'm going to work hard in training.

“I want to stay in the team, play as many games as possible and push Brighton up that table.”

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