Two minute guide to: Brighton
We take a look ahead to our next game – an FA Cup fourth round clash against Championship side Brighton and Hove Albion.
PORT VALE
Manager: Micky Adams
Last game: 1-0 vs Oldham
Form: W-W-L-D-L
Top scorer: Pope (11)
BRIGHTON
Manager: Oscar Garcia
Last game: 0-1 vs Derby
Form: L-W-W-D-W
Top scorer: Barnes, Croft, Ulloa (6)
Team news
Gavin Tomlin: will return to the Vale squad
Vale will be without midfielder Billy Knott, who is cup-tied, but fellow loanee Jack Grimmer has been cleared to play. Joe Davis is also cleared to play after being ineligible for the previous game. However, with Carl Dickinson suspended, former Brighton midfielder Doug Loft will switch to left-back. Gavin Tomlin has returned to fitness and could make the bench but the match has come too early for Rob Taylor and Dan Jones who have returned to training.
Brighton could welcome Will Buckley back, but Kazenga LuaLua is doubtful and Andrew Crofts (knee) and strikers Craig Mackail-Smith and Will Hoskins (knee) all out.
Albion named a young side in the previous round and manager Oscar Garcia may decide to rest some senior players for this tie.
Neal
Yates Robertson Grimmer Loft
Myrie-Williams Griffith Lines Birchall
Pope Williamson
Pre-match quotes
“I have always embraced the idea that our backs are against the wall; I have done that many times at this club and it has never fazed me. We should embrace it on Saturday… I am employed by Port Vale and my job is to get wins for Vale. It doesn’t matter who I have to face. But this means a lot to me, I can’t deny that.”
– Micky Adams
“Brighton are a great club who have progressed massively in the last five years and for me, playing against my old team, the FA Cup brings these games about and hopefully we can try and get through it. The pressure is on Brighton really, they are expected to win the game, but they are playing away so it is going to be tough for them. We have just got to get in their faces and I am sure it is a game the gaffer wants to win with it being his former club, likewise me and Doug Loft.”
– Chris Birchall
“We are looking forward to the FA Cup game and it is a good time for us. We would like to keep the momentum going in respect of winning games and remain focussed. Being the underdogs doesn’t really bother me to be honest, I will just be going into a game and trying to battle and win the game and trying to keep that momentum going that we have.”
– Anthony Griffith
“You have to be sharp on your feet. A team like Port Vale will try and rattle you. But I think we have got the quality of players to play around that.”
– Jeffrey Monakana
History
Marc Richards: scored two at the Withdean
Last time we met
Vale won a dramatic game at the Withdean Stadium back in 2008. Vale took an early 2-0 lead throught two Marc Richards‘ goals before Dean Cox pulled one back. Danny Whitaker made it 3-1 with three minutes left before Glenn Murray scored in the last minute to make the final score 3-2 to Vale
Overall record
- Vale wins: 17
- Brighton wins: 18
- Draws: 16
Last time we…
Defeated Brighton at home was in 2006 when two goals from Leon Constantine (right) gave Vale a 2-1 win. Brighton’s goal was from Tommy Fraser who would later join Vale under Micky Adams.
We have also played Brighton once before in the FA Cup. A 1932 game finished Brighton 2-1 Port Vale.
Connections
Doug Loft: began his career at Brighton
There’s a whole host on the Vale side. As Micky Adams used to manage Brighton, he has brought a number of players who used to appear for the Seagulls to Vale Park.
Chris Birchall (right) has played for both sides and is, of course in his second spell with the Valiants. During his time with Brighton, Birchall made ten appearances between January and May 2009.
Doug Loft began his career at Brighton and made 49 appearances, the majority from the bench. He joined Vale as Micky Adams’ second Vale signing back in 2009.
Other players to appear for both sides include:
- Tommy Fraser
- Brian Horton (right)
- Billy Paynter
- Sammy Morgan
- Mark Chamberlain
- Ken Beamish
- Darren Hughes
- Russell Bromage
- Calvin Andrew
- Cliff Pinchbeck
Trivia
- The Amex stadium employs hawks who are used to scare pigeons away and stop them roosting in the ground’s girders
- The highest attendance at Brighton’s new stadium is an impressive 30,750 for their 2013 play-off semi-final against old rivals Crystal Palace
- Talking of that feud with Palace, many fans of opposing teams know of it but are not entirely certain how or why it began. This feature in the Guardian may help