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Johnny Byrne-The Greatest
Brighton's goalkeeper Michel Kuipers may have been the hero of their victory on penalties over Manchester City in the Carling Cup, but he says that knocking out the big names from the Premier League was easy compared to life in the Dutch marines.
Kuipers, 34, sent Brighton through 5-3 on penalties - the match having finished 2-2 after extra time - when he saved from Michael Ball, but before becoming a professional footballer with Bristol Rovers nine years ago, he served for four years in the forces.
"Being in the marines was an exciting way to live your life, with bullets flying around and using guns, but beating Manchester City and all their superstars was even better," he said yesterday. "I watched them put six past the England goalkeeper David James against Portsmouth on Sunday so I knew how hard it would be. But fortunately I guessed the right way to keep out the penalty because I never got near the other spot-kicks - they were all going right into the corner of the net."
He arrived at Brighton on a free transfer and their current first-team squad cost only £475,000, a sign of the hard times that have blighted the club more or less since they were the losing FA Cup finalists in 1983, when Manchester United were the victors after a replay. Indeed they have been homeless since 1997 and, after a spell at Gillingham's Priestfield stadium, still play at their city's athletics track as plans to move to a new £30m stadium in nearby Falmer continue to run into difficulties.
"I've been involved in three promotions during the nine seasons I have been at Brighton, but never in a one-off match like that," Kuipers added. "Winning promotion is a great feeling because it is a season's work, but winning a cup game like that was just fantastic.
"Seeing the reaction of the fans when they ran on to the pitch when we scored the winning penalty was wonderful and a brilliant memory for me to take away from the game."
It was all a far cry from his Brighton debut in 2000, when he was substituted after 49 minutes during a 2-0 League Two defeat by Southend United because he could not kick the ball far enough.
"I have had ups and downs in the game and that is how football goes sometimes," he added. "I worked at my game and became better. I have always really enjoyed playing for this club because it is special for me."
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Kuipers, 34, sent Brighton through 5-3 on penalties - the match having finished 2-2 after extra time - when he saved from Michael Ball, but before becoming a professional footballer with Bristol Rovers nine years ago, he served for four years in the forces.
"Being in the marines was an exciting way to live your life, with bullets flying around and using guns, but beating Manchester City and all their superstars was even better," he said yesterday. "I watched them put six past the England goalkeeper David James against Portsmouth on Sunday so I knew how hard it would be. But fortunately I guessed the right way to keep out the penalty because I never got near the other spot-kicks - they were all going right into the corner of the net."
He arrived at Brighton on a free transfer and their current first-team squad cost only £475,000, a sign of the hard times that have blighted the club more or less since they were the losing FA Cup finalists in 1983, when Manchester United were the victors after a replay. Indeed they have been homeless since 1997 and, after a spell at Gillingham's Priestfield stadium, still play at their city's athletics track as plans to move to a new £30m stadium in nearby Falmer continue to run into difficulties.
"I've been involved in three promotions during the nine seasons I have been at Brighton, but never in a one-off match like that," Kuipers added. "Winning promotion is a great feeling because it is a season's work, but winning a cup game like that was just fantastic.
"Seeing the reaction of the fans when they ran on to the pitch when we scored the winning penalty was wonderful and a brilliant memory for me to take away from the game."
It was all a far cry from his Brighton debut in 2000, when he was substituted after 49 minutes during a 2-0 League Two defeat by Southend United because he could not kick the ball far enough.
"I have had ups and downs in the game and that is how football goes sometimes," he added. "I worked at my game and became better. I have always really enjoyed playing for this club because it is special for me."
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