Final fixture list for Withdean
AFTER last week's article covering what we can expect from Falmer – sorry, I should say The Amex – we can have a quick look at the FINAL fixtures for Withdean.
Our season starts away at Swindon on Saturday 7th August.
I expect it is my imagination but the football season seems to have crept into mid-summer. A few of us will still be on our summer hols then!
I'll certainly miss the first home game against Rochdale on the following Saturday 14th August. No disrespect to Rochdale but I can't see a full house for that one!
Running an eye down the teams making up League One I can only hope we get out of the division (upwards, of course) quickly!
Sheffield Wednesday is our third game, away, on the 21st August.
I have to say I won't be too upset about missing out on a trip up to Sheffield. I then looked for the BIG games. I'm afraid there aren't too many!
Charlton can be classed as a "big one". They come up on 16th September (away) and Wednesday 29th December at Withdean. A little Christmas spirit would be welcome.
Southampton can also be classed as a "big one". Many will fancy a trip to St Mary's after our fine win there last season, but they haven't made it easy!
It is on a Tuesday night, 23rd November. The return at Withdean is late in the season, Saturday 23rd April.
That could easily be a six-pointer promotion game (I hope!).
Let's be honest. We need to be in the promotion race to make games against Carlisle or Oldham or Hartlepool or Tranmere exciting!
There is some local interest IF you can call Bournemouth and Leyton Orient "local".
In their wisdom (perhaps blame the computer?) our Boxing Day "derby" game is away at Dagenham & Redbridge – ouch! We do at least have Orient at Withdean on New Year's day.
I'm going to miss the first game of our Carling Cup run (ever hopeful!) against Northampton.
This is scheduled for the week beginning 9th August. I just hope we are in the Second Round when I get back!
I am slightly worried about the bookmakers. They don't get things wrong often when there is money at stake.
They are saying Albion are seventh favourites for promotion, that is just missing out on the play-offs!
I hope Chairman Tony Bloom has a small flutter on us (at 16-1) which could help the players' budget for our Championship season at the Amex!
The bookies reckon Saints, Wednesday, Huddersfield, Charlton and Swindon will all finish ahead of us.
Before I risk a quid on our Seagulls I'll wait to see the much needed additions to Gus Poyet's squad. There isn't a lot of news coming through.
Poyet admits he would like to try for three players that were on loan with us. The young striker Ashley Barnes is at Plymouth.
Midfielder Lee Hendrie is at Derby. And Kazenga Lua-Lua the lightning fast winger is still with Newcastle. Brighton's manager says "It's not easy with any of them but we'll see."
The search continues for a replacement for Albion skipper Andrew Crofts. Several names have been thrown into the pot but none have come to the surface.
One target is said to be Matt Sparrow the Scunthorpe midfielder. We should hear more fairly soon as the players are coming back for pre-season training.
One snippet I did pick up was that Poyet and his assistant Mauricio Taricco spent time scouting in South America during the close season.
Anybody who has spent time watching the footie in South Africa will have noted that this is the most successful continent! If Gus did manage to bring over some new players perhaps we just might have reason to blow vuvuzelas?
PS. Anybody out there want to buy a couple of England flags? Barely used and about to be put away for another four years!
Meanwhile, birthday boy and Albion fan Duncan Muir was kind enough to send us a 'postcard' from (above) the new stadium.
As Duncan says: "As a birthday treat last week, my wife, Kathryn, and three children, Charlotte, William and Andrew treated me to a flight from Shoreham Airport to see our fantastic new stadium from the air.
"I pass the site most days on the way to the health club in Falmer and most weeks take photographs and video with my camcorder – but to see the stadium from above really does put the shear scale and – yes – beauty of it into perspective."
He added: "As the Albion were kind enough to announce the new stadium name on my birthday(!), I have made a mock up of "The Amex" as a postcard which I thought my fellow Sussex Express readers may find of interest."
I think they will, Duncan! Thanks!
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Weather for Lewes
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 23 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South east
