Liverpool and Man Utd can bore off; Brighton and Hove Albion are *actually* the perfect second team for a fan to support…
As a supporter of a Championship club, you might expect allegiances for an FA Cup quarter-final clash between Brighton and Grimsby to fall on the side of the underdog. But Brighton are the perfect second team. And yes, it’s okay to have a second team if your first is a bit sh*t.
The Seagulls’ rise to the Premier League was enough of a feel-good story in itself, but they have not settled for bottom-half mediocrity. Instead, they have continued to go from strength to strength, with the help of a business model that should be an example for all other clubs outside of the traditional Big Six.
As a lover of the underdog, you cannot help but admire Brighton and everything they stand for. They have mastered the art of identifying promising talents, utilising them to play lovely football, and selling them for a sizable profit.
Brighton have earned a lot of money by selling Ben White, Marc Cucurella, Yves Bissouma and Leandro Trossard. This is while Moises Caicedo, Alexis Mac Allister and Kaoru Mitoma are all £50m-plus assets currently on their books.
Their rivals must be watching on wondering how on earth Brighton keep finding these players. Their success rate with signings is on a whole other scale compared to everyone else in their position.
While Graham Potter was in charge, Brighton were often the easiest Premier League team on the eye, with their Achilles heel being their lack of end product in attacking areas.
As a supporter of Rotherham United, a team that often spurned chances in trying to establish themselves in the Championship instead of being relegated at the first time of asking, it was endearing watching Brighton go through similar struggles in the league above.
While it is fair to say that the style of football adopted by Brighton and Rotherham tends to differ quite a bit, a feeling of familiarity came from watching Potter’s side drop points in a division that punishes clubs lacking in goals.
Potter’s Brighton did frustrate onlookers and their own supporters at times, but the job he did at the Amex Stadium was still remarkable and it was only a matter of time before he was plucked away.
Brighton’s work in the transfer market has been mightily impressive, but their decision on Potter’s replacement has perhaps been even more eye-catching.
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