Moving on up with high-flying Seagulls

Having cast an eye over the Championship in general last time out, this week I would like to focus on my side, Brighton and Hove Albion, and offer insight into a club which I presume a lot of people may not know too much about but which, in my opinion, is destined for a very exciting future.

Once Brighton had made their interest known, it was a very easy decision for me to come here on a season-long loan from Bolton as, for a number of years, they have been playing a style of football that is both enjoyable to watch and to be a part of. I sat on the bench last season for Bolton when we faced a Brighton side then under the leadership of Gus Poyet and I was nearly hoping that I wasn’t going to come on, as Brighton dominated the match with some sublime football and the lion’s share of possession.

The owner Tony Bloom, who took over the club in 2009, has transformed it from playing in League One at the old Withdean Stadium in front of a maximum crowd of 9,000 to the ultra-modern Amex Stadium in which we get regular gates of 27,000 fans. Make no mistake about it, this is a club that is on the up and it’s doing it in the right, sustainable way by not giving into the temptation to live beyond its means.