Brighton Match Preview

By Aston
May 7 2005

Team news and more ahead of Town’s final game of the season, against a Brighton side who are not yet safe.

In order to replace Wigan as Runners Up to Sunderland, Town need to beat Brighton on Sunday and hope that play-off chasing Reading can get something against Wigan. At the other end of the league Brighton need a point to ensure survival in the Championship, if Brighton don’t get that point it will hinge on the Nottingham Forest Vs Gillingham and Crewe Vs Coventry if both Crewe and Gillingham win and Brighton lose the seagulls will go down.

 

Brighton manager Mark McGhee could re-call striker Mark McCammon who was ruled out of last weeks game against Rotherham with a back injury, defender/striker Adam Virgo is out for the game.    

 

McGhee: “We have got the ability to get something off of Ipswich. It would obviously help us if Wigan are winning.

“Maybe we cannot count on that and we have got to tune our minds into thinking we need something out of the game. That's how we approached it at Rotherham. We didn't think a draw would do, we approached it knowing nothing less than a win would do.

“Ipswich are a fantastic team at this level and it will be a really difficult game but we have got character and no small amount of ability. We will regroup, see how the troops are looking and prepare ourselves again for another massive effort.”

 

Town manager Joe Royle has doubts over defensive pair Jason De Vos and Richard Naylor. De Vos is suffering from a virus but will face a fitness test on Sunday before any decision is made while Naylor is expected to play.

 

Joe Royle: He said: “I have told the players to forget all that is going on around you. So many people are asking me how I feel Wigan will do that they are missing the point that if we don't win, it won't matter.

 

“It won't be an easy game. We are playing a desperate team who need the points, so I don't expect the walkover people are talking about. It is a hard game.”

 

Former Brighton midfielder Darren Currie had this to say: "We know it's out of our hands in that respect but we have to beat Brighton first and see what happens from there, It will be a difficult game for us at the Withdean. They still need a point to make sure of survival and knowing the Brighton lads from my time there, they will be going all out to win the match and give it 110 per cent.

 

“We need to repeat the performance we gave against Crewe last week. We started that game very well and created a number of chances.

 

“Hopefully we can do the same at Brighton, cause them problems early on, find the net and then look for Reading to do us a favour.

 

“They will go to Wigan with plenty to play for because they need a win to have a chance of getting in the Play-Offs so that will help our situation but first and foremost, we have to beat Brighton.

 

“I've got some great memories from my time at Brighton, Mark McGhee gave me a chance to prove myself at this level and without that, I might not be at Ipswich so I can't thank him enough.

 

“They have a great set of lads there and if Coventry can take a point off Crewe then Brighton will be safe whatever the result at the Withdean.

 

“So if Coventry, Reading and we win it will be a perfect weekend!”

 

The only other game Town fans need to watch on Sunday is Wigan’s game against Reading.

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