Ryan feels Brighton can be a Premier League club for years to come

Albion goalkeeper Mathew Ryan says the club has everything in place to stay in the Premier League for years to come.
Mathew Ryan joins in the celebrations after Pascal Gross's goal against Manchester United. Picture by Phil Westlake (PW Sporting Photography)Mathew Ryan joins in the celebrations after Pascal Gross's goal against Manchester United. Picture by Phil Westlake (PW Sporting Photography)
Mathew Ryan joins in the celebrations after Pascal Gross's goal against Manchester United. Picture by Phil Westlake (PW Sporting Photography)

The Seagulls secured their top-flight status with a 1-0 win at home to Manchester United on Friday evening.

Ryan quickly became a fans' favourite at the Amex after joining Albion from Valencia last summer and Friday's clean sheet was his tenth in the league this season.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Speaking after Friday's win, the Australian number one said: "In this industry, there's not many better feelings. Securing Premier League football for next season was the goal at the start of the season.

"I'm happy, over the moon, proud of the guys and proud of everyone in and around the club for their efforts, especially with the history of the club and where it's come from to where it is today.

"I've been saying all year in interviews we've got everything in place to be a long-standing Premier League club.

"It's just down to us as the playing group, together with everyone around the club, to continue to achieve that goal every year of staying up.

"We've ticked the first year off and I'm over the moon."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Ryan added the team have grown throughout their debut Premier League season and said: "I was saying in the changing room to a few of them about the way the team has grown and grown over the season and grown and grown over past seasons as well.

"It's phenomenal coming up against these big opposition. We're not fearing them, we're being respectful but we're not being over respectful of them to a point where you let them dictate too much.

"Teams like this you've got to pick and choose your moments. More often than not they're going to have more possession but we stick to our fundamentals and our resilience again tonight was just phenomenal.

"The guys in front of me, the guys who came off the bench, it was just on point all game.

"I just think tonight's performance was a result of the journey we've been on, the willingness to learn and continuing to make the Amex a fortress."