A bit about you:
Name: Kev Sherwood
Current home town: Hastings Birthplace: Eastbourne
How long have you supported your team? 33 years.
Overview of your club:
The Albion is a club with a long history and mixed fortune. Our whole story is one of unrealised potential really. Apart from a brief dalliance in the early 80's we've never threatened to stake a claim in the top flight. Despite a massive catchment area with no near league competition to contend with, the club has never truly fired on all cylinders, or managed to get all the key components in place. In fact not so long ago we nearly disappeared altogether as a club. The prospect of a new stadium though may be the catalyst for success, it will certainly be the beginning of a new era.
Favourite thing about your home ground: There's only one thing – it's in Brighton (as opposed to being in Gillingham). Albion fans are sick to the back teeth of the Withdean experience now. Try spending 9 years sitting watching your side without a roof and maintaining a positive outlook! At least the view from my South Stand seat is good, but I pity any away fans that visit Withdean these days, the view over there is truly terrible. Work has finally started on our next home though (at Falmer) and we still have a few seasons to go at the depressing Withdean, but we cannot wait to see the finished stadium. If it's as good as the artists impressions we've been drooling over then we'll be well happy.
Favourite match played by your team & why: Our 2008 Carling Cup victory over Man City ranks right up there actually (what a night!), but further back it would have to be the 1983 FA Cup Final (first attempt), a game that truly catapulted our clubs name into the nations pysche….
Favourite player of all time who played for your club: Peter Ward. Mercurial little striker who is the favourite of many Albion fans over a certain age. Currently living in the USA but pops back for many club events.
About our forthcoming match against you:
Well we are desperate for any and all points at the moment. I'm afraid that relegation is a very real concern, and one that is all consuming for the fans at the moment. Micky Adams second coming has not only been bad by comparison to his first, but poor by any measure. His mantra of 'Keep The Faith' is wearing thin with many fans who are concerned at the sheer lack of positives to cling to, especially as our final position last season (7th) was cause for optimism, even if the young side had obviously over achieved somewhat. We are in very real danger of spoiling the boards much muted dream of being in the Championship by the time our new ground is complete.
Your favourite current player in your squad and why? Nicky Forster. Absolute model pro, what we paid for him was a steal. He works harder than most players I've seen down the years, effort and commitment are second to none. Not a regular goal scorer (tends to hit seams of goals and then dry up) and has struggled with injury this season, but leads by example and is one of those 'nuisance' players that niggles away at the opposition and officials alike.
Player in your squad we should most fear and why? Glenn Murray, we paid a decent fee for him (by our standards) and we were starting to see why. He's not quick, and has a generally laid back languid style of play (a bit Zamora like in fact) but he clearly has potential. So far though Micky Adams has failed to construct anything like an effective midfield, or wide play, to provide him with the service he needs. Unfortunately Glenn has struggled to shake off an injury this season and so it's anyone’s guess whether he'll play or not
Player in our squad you most fear and why? Matt Fryatt. Full of goals.
Up and coming prospect in your squad? Tommy Elphick. Young home grown centre-half, last seasons player of the year. Brave, dependable, and shows real leadership potential. Another lad that has really done the business this season is keeper John Sullivan. Club stalwart between the sticks Michel Kuipers has been injured and John has really stepped in and done a great job. Sullivans been on the clubs books for a while but never been given a chance, so it's been great to see him step up to the challenge.
Where do you think you'll finish this season? When I wrote an assessment for our game at Withdean in October, I said Mid-table. Right now I think most Albion fans would settle for staying up. We've been that poor this season, and Micky is clearly struggling. The Johnsons Paint Trophy has been an interesting distraction (we're a double header against Luton away from a Wembley appearance) however the league form has been absolutely dismal. We've had a few highpoints, oddly enough overturning a 2 goal deficit to beat your very own Leicester, and beating Millwall at home. Other than that it has been a very disappointing season thus far.
How do you think you'll do against us? Well I said we'd lose last time and I was wrong, so I think I'll say the same again and hope for a repeat. All joking aside, I would be more than happy with a draw considering how well you're going.
Any other comments: Yeah. Good luck for the rest of the season (except in our game obviously). You deserve to go up and and are too big a club for League One. Hopefully the next time we meet will be in the Championship when our new ground at Falmer is complete and we can compete on a more level footing.
Views of two more Brighton fans will be published tomorrow