Up the Albion!

Mark Brailsford on Peterborough & Blackpool

On an unbeaten run of eight games at the time of writing, Peterborough United are not likely to be the pushovers of recent years. Darren Ferguson, in his second spell in charge, has solidified a leaky defence and secured valuable points at both Huddersfield Town, Leeds United and claimed all three points against Cardiff City at home. Despite these good results, in keeping with the topsy turvy nature of this Championship season, Peterborough are still in the bottom three.
Incredibly, if Peterborough go on a run of winning games now, they could, albeit theoretically, still make up the 15 points which would propel them above Albion if The Seagulls lose all their remaining games. This is highly unlikely but the fact that only 15 points separates 6th from 23rd place in the league shows you how close and competitive this division has become.

“This week will define the season”

This week will define the season and scraping draws when wins are required will not suffice. With Lua Lua a doubt and with Will Buckley showing a frustrating propensity for hamstring trouble, Albion’s attacking options appear limited; the Peterborough game doesn’t look easy and Albion seem to struggle against relegation threatened sides.

The match that follows quickly on the heels of Tuesday night’s encounter with Peterborough takes on the status of yet another must win game.

Paul Ince has been true to his word since he took over at Bloomfield Road and moved Blackpool away from the relegation zone, although they are still within catching distance of the dreaded drop. This will probably mean a well organised, ‘park the bus’ style performance from The Tangerines.

Ince Junior will be a danger at The Amex and Albion will have to be on their mettle if they are to stop him and Delfonso from continuing their recent good form. This game has all the makings of another painful draw, but this isn’t the time to take the foot off the pedal. Gus has clearly chosen attacking line-ups for the last few games and he will have to do the same for this game to get past the proverbial bus that Ince’s team are sure to park against Albion.

The crowd’s patience will play a part and with the team likely to be missing both wingers Lua Lua and Buckley, this may mean a new structure for the team.

However, this could be the making of the promotion push. If Gus pushes Orlandi and ‘Spanish Dave’ out wider than they have been recently, they might find more space to play. Then, with Leo Ulloa proving to be a fantastic signing, onrushing midfielders might find themselves with more goalscoring opportunities, again freeing up more space for Ulloa who would thrive on it. This might also provide a solution to the issue that seems to arise whenever Vicente and David play in the same team. They both seem to want to inhabit the same space and have similar instincts. This would have the added advantage of releasing Vicente to dominate more, something he has yet to do since he came back into the side.

There was one type of player the game was screaming out for in the game against Leicester, a quick footed, thrusting young midfielder to take the game to opposition, a player who arguably could be the difference between finishing sixth or seventh. That player surely has to be Jake Forster Caskey.

Elsewhere, there were suggestions from certain football club chairmen that a minute’s silence should be observed in honour of The Divisive One. Dave Whelan and John Madejski of Wigan Athletic and Reading respectively seem to think that football owes her this much. I shall resist jokes that rely on the concept of Thatcher going “down” with Wigan and Reading and merely point out that surely the etiquette in these matters should be a minute’s applause?

Simon Kirby MP condemns homophobic attacks

Brighton Kemptown MP Simon Kirby has strongly protested against homophobia in football in a reaction to a recent report. Evidence collected by the Albion Supporter’s club and the Gay Football Supporters Network shows Brighton fans are frequently on the receiving end of such attacks. Statistics show that in at least 57 per cent of Brighton matches the fans are subjected to homophobic attacks by opposing supporters.

Simon Kirby MP, who has promised he will take the issue to Parliament and with Football’s governing bodies, said, “As a Brighton fan I am troubled by the impact homophobia has on our club and supporters, but I also recognise that this is a problem which exists on a wider scale in our national sport.

“We have to send out a clear message that there is no room for prejudice or bigotry of any kind in football.
“Tackling homophobia in football can have a positive knock-on effect in society, especially amongst young people, and I will be doing what I can to draw attention to this issue in Parliament and with football’s governing bodies.”

Homophobia in football has hit the headlines recently after a number of players have confirmed their homosexuality. The most notable of these being former Leeds United player Robbie Rogers, who came out in February and retired at just 25. He not only feared the reaction of the football world but also that of his loved ones. He wrote in his blog: “Fear that my loved ones would be farthest from me if they knew my secret.”

It has been well publicised that some gay footballers are hesitant to come out as it may damage their careers irreversibly. The issue became prominent in 1990 when Justin Fashanu became the first and only English player to publicly announce that he was homosexual. Eight years later the Norwich City and Nottingham Forest player committed suicide at the age of 37.

Several organisations have been created to combat the problem including the Gay Football Supporters Network in 1989. The GFSN campaigns in support of the FA’s ‘Football For All’ scheme which encourages all clubs to hold a gay tolerant stance. This call out for a halt in discrimination mirrors the stance the FA took against racism in the 1980s.
Homophobia is a major hindrance on the ‘fair play’ nature of football and the problems encountered by Brighton & Hove Albion are the latest in a line of issues present all over the world.
Words: Henry Smith