Russell does the Wright thing
No real news for the previous couple of weeks (I suppose we shouldn't begrudge those in the football game a break?) but that has now changed.
Russell Slade made his first permanent signing last week when he picked up 27-year-old winger Mark Wright on a free transfer from MK Dons.
Wright completed a medical in Brighton and then signed a two-year contract. Slade says of Wright: "He is a genuine right-winger and will give us creativity and plenty of pace".
Mark began at Walsall winning a League Two 2007 winners medal. Then he went to MK Dons and did the same thing in 2008! He played 78 times for the Dons and scored 20 times (a good haul for a winger) playing in both games against the Seagulls last season.
The Dons beat us 4-2 at Withdean and 2-0 away – so I'm glad he will be playing for US this year!
As I write, nothing has been settled on the Gary Dicker front. We are told a deal is "close" to bring the Irish midfielder to Brighton.
Stockport have administration and take-over problems which have caused delays but we should have heard more "this week".
Meanwhile, there are negative rumours! Glenn Murray is on his way – perhaps! The gossip is he needs to move back 'up North' and Huddersfield (or Carlisle – and you can't get much further north without hitting Scotland!) want him! Allegedly, Huddersfield have loads of money and are the big spenders in League One. Albion fans are divided about Murray.
Most admit that when fit he is good. However I think a majority now say take the money. We would be looking to make a profit on the 300,000 paid to Rochdale and could have a tidy sum to invest in players who want to play for us.
Then there is, or may not be, Andrew Whing! He hasn't re-signed yet, apparently, and could go to Walsall.
And on the possible to just plain ridiculous, here are a few names being thrown into the ring as maybe Albion players. Kanchelskis, "a Scottish goalkeeper", Peltier (Yeovil), Paul Ifill, Aaron Davies, Benito Carbone, Federico Balzaretti (Palermo, Italy, where else!), Leroy Lita, Michael Bridges, Michael Ball (wasn't he a singer?), Bradley Wright-Philips, Joey Barton (!), Adam Le Fondre, Adrian Patulea, John Obika, James Tunnicliffe (centre-half), Lee Trundle, Abu Ogogo (Arsenal), Theo Robinson, plus a couple of dubious Scottish names too rude to print!
Personally I'll be surprised if any one of these ends up coming to us, although I do like the sound of 19-year-old Ogogo!
On the Falmer front, the President of the Institute of Civil Engineers, Mrs Jean Venables, visited the site of Albion's new Community Stadium whilst visiting Brighton & Hove.
Here's a quote from Mrs Venables to make us feel good. "It is wonderful to see, even in these difficult economic times, visionary projects underway, which when complete will provide huge social and economic benefits and have a massive impact on the local community".
Amen to that - and Seagulls fans will be pretty pleased too!
I mentioned last week that we kick off 2009/10 at Withdean on Saturday 8th August.
This is the first time we have started a season with a home game since thrashing Mansfield 6-0 in 1999. More of the same please!
The following Tuesday sends us to Swansea for a rather tricky Carling Cup first round match! Saturday 15th sees us at newly promoted Brentford.
I'm hoping we will be well placed by November as in the space of just 17 days the Albion come up against promotion favourites Southampton, Leeds, Norwich and Charlton! No problems?
Already a couple of fixtures have been changed! We were to play Millwall on the last Saturday in August but for some strange reason the Metropolitan Police have requested the game at the New Den be played on the Friday night.
Would there be less trouble on a Friday night? I wonder what they know. And even the government is interfering!
On Tuesday 29th September we WON'T be playing Gillingham at Withdean as planned – because the Labour Party Conference is in the City!
Shame as a couple of hours in the uncovered South Stand in our autumnal weather might do them good.
A sausage roll was good enough for John Prescott when he visited a few years ago but I presume somebody has made the decision that the Withdean facilities aren't up to the standards that MPs require even in the era of prudent expenses?
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Weather for Lewes
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: -1 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: -6 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: East
