2-0 down after the first leg of the play off against Sheffield Wednesday, Brighton have much to do at the Amex in the second leg.
Brighton finished 15 points higher than Wednesday in the Championship and now have to work a miracle to maintain their promotion effort.
Brighton were last in the top division in 1979 and then relegated as bottom club in 1982-3. Some recompense was the appearance in the FA Cup Final that year when they lost to Manchester United 0-4 in the replay, after a 2-2 draw in the first fixture. This game might have been won by Brighton if Gordon Smith had scored a relatively simple chance in the final minute-Gary Bailey saved his effort.
One reason why Brighton may feel fed up is that they suffered 4 injuries during the game and used all their subs, ending up with only 10 men and at gthe end two goals in deficit. The answer would have been to conjure up four more injuries and get the match abandoned. No way!! many would say but read this!
On Saturday March 16th 2002, a First Division Match between Sheffield United and West Bromwich Albion was fondly known as the "Battle of Bramall Lane".
After 9 minutes The Blades' goalie, Simon Tracey, was sent off for handling the ball outside the penalty area.
So Neil Warnock used his sub goalie and brought off a defender.
Warnock then used two more subs, one of whom, George Santos, was sent off following a foul and then another sub Patrick Suffo "had to walk" after a "skirmish" created by Santos' tackle.
This left United with 8 men and no subs.
Michael Brown then got an injury in the 80th minute and had to retire and Robert Ullathorne followed him six minutes later. Remarkable!
By now the Blades were "blunt" with only 6 men on the pitch.
As a result the referee, Eddie Wolstenholme, had only one option, to abandon the game, which he duly did in the 82 minute, with Albion winning 3-0.
The Baggies' manager, Gary Megson was not happy and he said that if the game had to be replayed his team would turn up, kick off and then leave the pitch.
Warnock was accused of fixing the injuries but it was not proved, although United were fined £10,000 and the result was allowed to stand.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZDsjY3uFdE
So Neil Warnock used his sub goalie and brought off a defender.
Warnock then used two more subs, one of whom, George Santos, was sent off following a foul and then another sub Patrick Suffo "had to walk" after a "skirmish" created by Santos' tackle.
This left United with 8 men and no subs.
Michael Brown then got an injury in the 80th minute and had to retire and Robert Ullathorne followed him six minutes later. Remarkable!
By now the Blades were "blunt" with only 6 men on the pitch.
As a result the referee, Eddie Wolstenholme, had only one option, to abandon the game, which he duly did in the 82 minute, with Albion winning 3-0.
The Baggies' manager, Gary Megson was not happy and he said that if the game had to be replayed his team would turn up, kick off and then leave the pitch.
Warnock was accused of fixing the injuries but it was not proved, although United were fined £10,000 and the result was allowed to stand.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZDsjY3uFdE
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