The measure of success in the money-mad world of football is linked more than ever before to financial clout.
Finishing runners-up in the Premier League and losing the Champions League final will count as failure for Manchester United or Chelsea with their vast wealth. Survival in the top flight, on the other hand, is a triumph for the likes of Wigan.
Where does that leave Albion in League One? What should be regarded as success?
In the Championship, Withdean puts them at such a disadvantage that staying up would be the realistic aim. In League One, the pitfalls of competing in a cramped temporary home are, with the exception of a couple of fallen giants like Leeds and Nottingham Forest, minimised.
The playing field levels out. Albion are, until Falmer is built, about where they should be in football's pecking order.
And so, as the dust settles on Dean Wilkins' first full season as manager, finishing a place outside the play-offs in seventh should be treated as a success but of the qualified rather than unqualified variety.
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Considerable progress has been made. Compared to last season's modest showing, the Seagulls ended 11 places higher, gained 16 points more, had five extra wins and suffered six fewer defeats.
Most noticeably, Withdean has been turned back into something of a fortress again. If Albion's away form had not deteriorated, a top six finish would have been attainable.
It still was but, in two critical periods of the campaign, when opportunity knocked the door slammed shut.
A play-off place was not lost with a home defeat by relegated Port Vale at the beginning of April or the late goals conceded at Cheltenham at the start of February.
It was lost during a turbulent spell mid-season, when the team unravelled and had to be pieced back together.
When Albion cruised to victory at Swindon in mid-December, with a line-up which included Dean Hammond, George O'Callaghan and Bas Savage, they were seventh in the table.
They were together in the side only onc more, at Millwall on Boxing Day, where grievances over both delays and chairman Dick Knight's hard-line approach in contract talks were aired by O'Callaghan and Savage.
They did not play for the club again but the mood of discontent rumbled on into and through January, the saga over Hammond's future ending with an acrimonious move for the influential captain to Colchester.
The instability was devastating. Between Boxing Day and the close of the January transfer window, Albion took just five points from a possible 18, lost at home to Mansfield in the FA Cup and went out of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy at Swansea with a severely weakened side. Rather than building on an encouraging first half of the season, rebuilding became necessary during January.
Alex Revell and Nathan Elder were also sold, Glenn Murray, Steve Thomson and Jonny Dixon all signed in an unfamiliar spending spree.
The new players and new-look team gelled in the nick of time. Albion had slipped to 16th and were in danger of being sucked into a relegation battle when they came from behind to beat Cheltenham at home.
That turning point was the springboard for the play-off challenge to be revived during a hectic and profitable March, when nine matches were packed into 29 days. This was the second critical period of the campaign. Key players in Matt Richards and Adam El-Abd were lost in successive games through injury.
The loan transfer window was still open but Albion showed limited ambition on and off the pitch. Bringing in Ian Westlake from Leeds and Therry Racon from Charlton merely maintained numbers.
Consecutive goalless deadlocks at Forest and Leeds were regarded as a triumph but draws get you nowhere these days and the defeats which followed, against Port Vale and at Southend, effectively ended Albion's challenge.
The nagging feeling is that, when a second chance arose to reach the play-offs, they did not go all out for it.
The Seagulls could live to regret this conservatism. You cannot pick and choose when you are going to be in contention, football does not work like that. You have to seize the moment.
The bar has been raised. Fans, based on this season's near-miss, will now be expecting a play-off spot next season but it is dangerous to assume that will automatically follow.
Discount Leeds' 15-point penalty and the gap between Albion and the top four was double figures, so there is a lot of ground to make up on the teams who miss out in the play-offs, not to mention relegated Leicester and Paul Ince's thriving MK Dons.
Much will depend on Wilkins' overhaul of the squad. He needs a left-back, central midfielder and please, please, at least one winger to provide much-needed width, as well as back-up for the prolific combination of Murray and Nicky Forster.
Following this week's clearout, Wilkins now has the chance to really stamp his mark and mould his own squad.
The target then must be promotion, either next season or the one after, so that Albion move into Falmer in the Championship.
Would you describe the season as a qualified success? Add your views below
Good article Andy but you don't comment on one crucial factor. Up until 16 years ago (until the Premiership was formed), half of all the money from the television receipts went to the clubs in the old Division One, one quarter went to the clubs in Division 2, and the remaining quarter went to the clubs in the 3rd and 4th Divisions. These days however, of the quite massive amounts of money coming in from Sky and Sentanna - 1.7 billion pounds, fully [bold]89%[/bold] of this money goes to the clubs in the top division. It is a sick, twisted system that ensures the gulf between lower placed clubs like ours and those in the Premiership continually expands. While clubs like BHA have to count every penny to stay in business, footballers in the top division compete for headlines by taking home 100,000 pound a week salaries and knocking down good quality houses to build mansions. The greed that those in the Premier League "industry" espouse is sickening and abhorrent. It is time that [bold]European[/bold] legislators acted to ensure a fairer share of all television money [bold]in all of Europe's[/bold] leagues. Bigger clubs already have bigger sources of revenue through ticket sales and sponsorship. Such legislation will ensure that once more, the smaller clubs will have a chance of winning promotion to the top division and then even occasionally challenging for the title (as Swansea, Watford and Ipswich once did). Once more a previously unfashionable club (as Forest was pre Clough) may actually go further and win in Europe twice in a row - something completely unachievable now for a small club, (no matter how gifted it's manager is). And my team may have a fighting chance of actually getting another 4 years in the top division ... maybe even a cup final.
Good article Andy but you don't comment on one crucial factor. Up until 16 years ago (until the Premiership was formed), half of all the money from the television receipts went to the clubs in the old Division One, one quarter went to the clubs in Division 2, and the remaining quarter went to the clubs in the 3rd and 4th Divisions. These days however, of the quite massive amounts of money coming in from Sky and Sentanna - 1.7 billion pounds, fully 89% of this money goes to the clubs in the top division. It is a sick, twisted system that ensures the gulf between lower placed clubs like ours and those in the Premiership continually expands. While clubs like BHA have to count every penny to stay in business, footballers in the top division compete for headlines by taking home 100,000 pound a week salaries and knocking down good quality houses to build mansions. The greed that those in the Premier League "industry" espouse is sickening and abhorrent. It is time that European legislators acted to ensure a fairer share of all television money in all of Europe's leagues. Bigger clubs already have bigger sources of revenue through ticket sales and sponsorship. Such legislation will ensure that once more, the smaller clubs will have a chance of winning promotion to the top division and then even occasionally challenging for the title (as Swansea, Watford and Ipswich once did). Once more a previously unfashionable club (as Forest was pre Clough) may actually go further and win in Europe twice in a row - something completely unachievable now for a small club, (no matter how gifted it's manager is). And my team may have a fighting chance of actually getting another 4 years in the top division ... maybe even a cup final.
the article is superb, as the fans now think we need two or three more players and we will win the league, whatever people say we will miss butters, and mayo, even from me thinking he should have gone a year ago, but the squad has been lucky in terms of injuries, imagine losing forster for a month or 6 games, i am concerned the clubs finances must look awful this season, wages must have gone up, and the crowds are down, this season coming will mean dean needing a wide player, and a midfielder, which leaves robinson on the bench, he and gatting must know this is last chance time. can we hold onto cox and elphick? also dean will need to show better tactics than plan A or B. by xmas we will be top three or dean will be under pressure, most fans think contracts given to loft and sicknote stink. that may come back to haunt him.
the article is superb, as the fans now think we need two or three more players and we will win the league, whatever people say we will miss butters, and mayo, even from me thinking he should have gone a year ago, but the squad has been lucky in terms of injuries, imagine losing forster for a month or 6 games, i am concerned the clubs finances must look awful this season, wages must have gone up, and the crowds are down, this season coming will mean dean needing a wide player, and a midfielder, which leaves robinson on the bench, he and gatting must know this is last chance time. can we hold onto cox and elphick? also dean will need to show better tactics than plan A or B. by xmas we will be top three or dean will be under pressure, most fans think contracts given to loft and sicknote stink. that may come back to haunt him.
[quote][bold]J[/bold] wrote:
<b><b> Good article Andy but you don't comment on one crucial factor. Up until 16 years ago (until the Premiership was formed), half of all the money from the television receipts went to the clubs in the old Division One, one quarter went to the clubs in Division 2, and the remaining quarter went to the clubs in the 3rd and 4th Divisions. These days however, of the quite massive amounts of money coming in from Sky and Sentanna - 1.7 billion pounds, fully [bold]89%[/bold] of this money goes to the clubs in the top division. It is a sick, twisted system that ensures the gulf between lower placed clubs like ours and those in the Premiership continually expands. While clubs like BHA have to count every penny to stay in business, footballers in the top division compete for headlines by taking home 100,000 pound a week salaries and knocking down good quality houses to build mansions. The greed that those in the Premier League "industry" espouse is sickening and abhorrent. It is time that [bold]European[/bold] legislators acted to ensure a fairer share of all television money [bold]in all of Europe's[/bold] leagues. Bigger clubs already have bigger sources of revenue through ticket sales and sponsorship. Such legislation will ensure that once more, the smaller clubs will have a chance of winning promotion to the top division and then even occasionally challenging for the title (as Swansea, Watford and Ipswich once did). Once more a previously unfashionable club (as Forest was pre Clough) may actually go further and win in Europe twice in a row - something completely unachievable now for a small club, (no matter how gifted it's manager is). And my team may have a fighting chance of actually getting another 4 years in the top division ... maybe even a cup final. </b></b>[/quote] Absolutely outstanding comment - what are you doing posting on this site????
J wrote:
<b><b> Good article Andy but you don't comment on one crucial factor. Up until 16 years ago (until the Premiership was formed), half of all the money from the television receipts went to the clubs in the old Division One, one quarter went to the clubs in Division 2, and the remaining quarter went to the clubs in the 3rd and 4th Divisions. These days however, of the quite massive amounts of money coming in from Sky and Sentanna - 1.7 billion pounds, fully 89% of this money goes to the clubs in the top division. It is a sick, twisted system that ensures the gulf between lower placed clubs like ours and those in the Premiership continually expands. While clubs like BHA have to count every penny to stay in business, footballers in the top division compete for headlines by taking home 100,000 pound a week salaries and knocking down good quality houses to build mansions. The greed that those in the Premier League "industry" espouse is sickening and abhorrent. It is time that European legislators acted to ensure a fairer share of all television money in all of Europe's leagues. Bigger clubs already have bigger sources of revenue through ticket sales and sponsorship. Such legislation will ensure that once more, the smaller clubs will have a chance of winning promotion to the top division and then even occasionally challenging for the title (as Swansea, Watford and Ipswich once did). Once more a previously unfashionable club (as Forest was pre Clough) may actually go further and win in Europe twice in a row - something completely unachievable now for a small club, (no matter how gifted it's manager is). And my team may have a fighting chance of actually getting another 4 years in the top division ... maybe even a cup final. </b></b>
Absolutely outstanding comment - what are you doing posting on this site????
A very good article, it's nice to read an informed and fair evaluation of the season rather than your usual sniping at the club Andy, you should try it more often!
A very good article, it's nice to read an informed and fair evaluation of the season rather than your usual sniping at the club Andy, you should try it more often!
Posted by: Paul, Brighton Seafront on 9:03am Thu 8 May 08
At the risk of sounding boring, a very good article.
We are over reliant on loan signings which is a problem. But it is a problem that many clubs face. Why? The clubs above are enjoying a great deal more finance than the clubs in League One and League Two. We are a victim of circumstances.
Overall, I think this season has been a very good season for us. If you venture back to 1999 when we returned to Brighton, I don't think anyone would have thought we would be challenging for a playoff place to the Championship, still without a permanent home, whilst running at a huge loss year in, year out.
We need 5 or 6 decent signings to make us a force to be reckoned with. Starting with Richards and Westlake.
At the risk of sounding boring, a very good article.
We are over reliant on loan signings which is a problem. But it is a problem that many clubs face. Why? The clubs above are enjoying a great deal more finance than the clubs in League One and League Two. We are a victim of circumstances.
Overall, I think this season has been a very good season for us. If you venture back to 1999 when we returned to Brighton, I don't think anyone would have thought we would be challenging for a playoff place to the Championship, still without a permanent home, whilst running at a huge loss year in, year out.
We need 5 or 6 decent signings to make us a force to be reckoned with. Starting with Richards and Westlake.
Good article and some great postings, Brighton is a proper club with a real heart and has been well managed over the years and I think there has only been one year in the last ten when we haven't been fighting for something be it against relegation or for promotion. this club could easily gone out of business or gone into receivership yet they continue to fight against the odds to prosper, yes you could argue we are in our rightful position but where does that leave Forest and Leeds definitely not in their right position. Mark i agree with you that Butters, Mayo and hart will be missed as they have filled in admirably when called this season but the time is right for us to evolve again. Finally I am completely in favour of Falmer but it is not a magic pill, Leicester were relegated and southampton came very close and Huddersfield and Swansea have been stuck in league 1 for years so it is no guarantee of progress on the field and finally a word about Skint and Fat Boy, they have been a great support to this club and i would be sad to see their sponsorship end and hope that there has not been a falling out or anything. Anyway I am already looking forward to next season and would love to see us sign Gillespie from Cheltenham or Pittman from Bournmouth and a central defender and a creative midfielder
Good article and some great postings, Brighton is a proper club with a real heart and has been well managed over the years and I think there has only been one year in the last ten when we haven't been fighting for something be it against relegation or for promotion. this club could easily gone out of business or gone into receivership yet they continue to fight against the odds to prosper, yes you could argue we are in our rightful position but where does that leave Forest and Leeds definitely not in their right position. Mark i agree with you that Butters, Mayo and hart will be missed as they have filled in admirably when called this season but the time is right for us to evolve again. Finally I am completely in favour of Falmer but it is not a magic pill, Leicester were relegated and southampton came very close and Huddersfield and Swansea have been stuck in league 1 for years so it is no guarantee of progress on the field and finally a word about Skint and Fat Boy, they have been a great support to this club and i would be sad to see their sponsorship end and hope that there has not been a falling out or anything. Anyway I am already looking forward to next season and would love to see us sign Gillespie from Cheltenham or Pittman from Bournmouth and a central defender and a creative midfielder
I wonder how many people bleating on about TV money go and watch the premiership games in the pub on Sky or have it at home. Boycott it spend your money instead on filling Withdean !
I wonder how many people bleating on about TV money go and watch the premiership games in the pub on Sky or have it at home. Boycott it spend your money instead on filling Withdean !
Posted by: Cheshire Seagull, Nantwich on 9:39am Thu 8 May 08
OK but the title misses the point - it should say "How we overachieved this season". Sure we can do better but still an incredible season as we start looking to build long-term sustainability.
OK but the title misses the point - it should say "How we overachieved this season". Sure we can do better but still an incredible season as we start looking to build long-term sustainability.
Posted by: Drew, Burgess Hill on 9:44am Thu 8 May 08
[quote][bold]kk[/bold] wrote:
I wonder how many people bleating on about TV money go and watch the premiership games in the pub on Sky or have it at home. Boycott it spend your money instead on filling Withdean ![/quote] Read in conjunction with J of Hove's post, this is the most pertinent comment. It is not the Uefa that can change things as they do not have the power. The Champions League was set up to avert any break away super league by the G14. Sky pay the money to the big clubs because they have a market for that product. I have all ready got rid of my skysports package but I don't think it will change anything. We just have to carry on living within our means.
kk wrote:
I wonder how many people bleating on about TV money go and watch the premiership games in the pub on Sky or have it at home. Boycott it spend your money instead on filling Withdean !
Read in conjunction with J of Hove's post, this is the most pertinent comment. It is not the Uefa that can change things as they do not have the power. The Champions League was set up to avert any break away super league by the G14. Sky pay the money to the big clubs because they have a market for that product. I have all ready got rid of my skysports package but I don't think it will change anything. We just have to carry on living within our means.
[quote][bold]Drew[/bold] wrote:
[quote][bold]kk[/bold] wrote: I wonder how many people bleating on about TV money go and watch the premiership games in the pub on Sky or have it at home. Boycott it spend your money instead on filling Withdean ![/quote] Read in conjunction with J of Hove\'s post, this is the most pertinent comment. It is not the Uefa that can change things as they do not have the power. The Champions League was set up to avert any break away super league by the G14. Sky pay the money to the big clubs because they have a market for that product. I have all ready got rid of my skysports package but I don\'t think it will change anything. We just have to carry on living within our means.[/quote] You are both missing the main point of my earlier comment. Whether or not any of us watch Sky should not come into it. It is a fantastic product, and we should celebrate it. I was merely pointing out how ludicrously unfair it is that so few of the 92 clubs get to share in something that could revolutionise the game in this country if the spoils were shared a little more equitably. If that 1.7 billion pounds of television money were shared the way it was before the Premiership was formed, the Albion would stand to get something in the region of 9 or 10 million pounds. Of course, as the team that finished 7th out of the 48 clubs that would share in that 437 million pound bounty, they would receive much more than this (in the same way that each Premiership club gets an additional 450,000 pounds for each improved final placing). Imagine what the "Gang of 72" could achieve with such an injection of cash? In the case of BHA(which won a major community award recently without actually having a stadium - surely a one off), the possibilities are substantial. I just wish the chairmen of those 72 clubs would get organized over this issue and speak with one voice over these issues. Get in touch with the chairmen of the non top division clubs of Spain, France, Germany and Italy. Feel them out. They will more than likely find that they too feel considerably agrieved over the the share of television income and would also be keen to argue for a greater share of the pie. Then put all manner of pressure to bear on the legislators of Brussels (and it does have to come from Europe) to push on this.
Drew wrote:
kk wrote: I wonder how many people bleating on about TV money go and watch the premiership games in the pub on Sky or have it at home. Boycott it spend your money instead on filling Withdean !
Read in conjunction with J of Hove\'s post, this is the most pertinent comment. It is not the Uefa that can change things as they do not have the power. The Champions League was set up to avert any break away super league by the G14. Sky pay the money to the big clubs because they have a market for that product. I have all ready got rid of my skysports package but I don\'t think it will change anything. We just have to carry on living within our means.
You are both missing the main point of my earlier comment. Whether or not any of us watch Sky should not come into it. It is a fantastic product, and we should celebrate it. I was merely pointing out how ludicrously unfair it is that so few of the 92 clubs get to share in something that could revolutionise the game in this country if the spoils were shared a little more equitably. If that 1.7 billion pounds of television money were shared the way it was before the Premiership was formed, the Albion would stand to get something in the region of 9 or 10 million pounds. Of course, as the team that finished 7th out of the 48 clubs that would share in that 437 million pound bounty, they would receive much more than this (in the same way that each Premiership club gets an additional 450,000 pounds for each improved final placing). Imagine what the "Gang of 72" could achieve with such an injection of cash? In the case of BHA(which won a major community award recently without actually having a stadium - surely a one off), the possibilities are substantial. I just wish the chairmen of those 72 clubs would get organized over this issue and speak with one voice over these issues. Get in touch with the chairmen of the non top division clubs of Spain, France, Germany and Italy. Feel them out. They will more than likely find that they too feel considerably agrieved over the the share of television income and would also be keen to argue for a greater share of the pie. Then put all manner of pressure to bear on the legislators of Brussels (and it does have to come from Europe) to push on this.
Posted by: Dale, at my desk on 2:13pm Thu 8 May 08
[quote][bold]Royster[/bold] wrote:
Not a bad article. But one question, why aren't you a football manager Mr Naylor? If you could oust Alex Ferguson you'd make a fortune![/quote] He is not a manager because this is not such a great article !! All he has done is go over the seasons notes and write it all down again. There is not a single comment in his article that has not been said by the "fans" in the comments over the last few weeks / months. ie - he has named the same positions (which are pretty obvious) that we need to strenghten, highlighted that we did not bring in cover in time for lost players and the key games we lost. Basically, we have written the article for him - he has just spun it round and signed it off. What a guy !! Any bets on Loft for player of teh season next year ?? Watch this space kiddies !!
Royster wrote:
Not a bad article. But one question, why aren't you a football manager Mr Naylor? If you could oust Alex Ferguson you'd make a fortune!
He is not a manager because this is not such a great article !! All he has done is go over the seasons notes and write it all down again. There is not a single comment in his article that has not been said by the "fans" in the comments over the last few weeks / months. ie - he has named the same positions (which are pretty obvious) that we need to strenghten, highlighted that we did not bring in cover in time for lost players and the key games we lost. Basically, we have written the article for him - he has just spun it round and signed it off. What a guy !! Any bets on Loft for player of teh season next year ?? Watch this space kiddies !!
Posted by: Drew, Burgess Hill on 2:50pm Thu 8 May 08
Sorry J, didn't miss your point and in fact, in an ideal world would love that to happen. But we don't live in an ideal world. Problems started long before Premier league was formed. Think Man Utd were one of the big clubs that got a rule change so that home teams kept the gate receipts for league games rather than share it with the away team. Since then they have gone from financial strength to financial strength. The 72 chairman, unfortunately, do not have the clout to dictate to the likes of the big four. What would happen if we, and the other minnows of European football tried to dictate. The G14 would be recreated and disappear to form their own league. TV companies would then divert most of the money to them. Fifa could ban all the rebel players but what would you do, rebel and earn £100k a week or earn a fraction of that and play for your country.
Sorry J, didn't miss your point and in fact, in an ideal world would love that to happen. But we don't live in an ideal world. Problems started long before Premier league was formed. Think Man Utd were one of the big clubs that got a rule change so that home teams kept the gate receipts for league games rather than share it with the away team. Since then they have gone from financial strength to financial strength. The 72 chairman, unfortunately, do not have the clout to dictate to the likes of the big four. What would happen if we, and the other minnows of European football tried to dictate. The G14 would be recreated and disappear to form their own league. TV companies would then divert most of the money to them. Fifa could ban all the rebel players but what would you do, rebel and earn £100k a week or earn a fraction of that and play for your country.
Posted by: Royster, Brighton on 4:37pm Thu 8 May 08
[quote][bold]Palace Fan[/bold] wrote:
quite simply you didn't make the playoffs cos you are rubbish and get small crowds to watch hoof it in the air football at that joke of a ground ...[/quote] That is rich coming from the "Donkeys".
Come back in a couple of years scummer, we'll have a better ground than you!
Palace Fan wrote:
quite simply you didn't make the playoffs cos you are rubbish and get small crowds to watch hoof it in the air football at that joke of a ground ...
That is rich coming from the "Donkeys".
Come back in a couple of years scummer, we'll have a better ground than you!
Posted by: phil mchunt, brighton on 6:02pm Thu 8 May 08
[quote][bold]Palace Fan[/bold] wrote:
quite simply you didn't make the playoffs cos you are rubbish and get small crowds to watch hoof it in the air football at that joke of a ground ...[/quote] Go **** your mum and your sister you in bred ****
Palace Fan wrote:
quite simply you didn't make the playoffs cos you are rubbish and get small crowds to watch hoof it in the air football at that joke of a ground ...
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