its going to be one hell of a tough season

[eastlondonseagull]

This season's Championship is a piece of piss compared to next season's! We will be in for a massive battle.

 

[The Wookiee]

I

I don't believe that is at all relevant. If we're going to talk about the football - which is ultimately what this conversation is about - explain to me why we should expect to automatically achieve more than well established Championship/top-flight clubs?

Some people really need to get a grip on reality about Falmer. It's a nice ground which brings us back onto a par with many of the clubs we hope to compete with. It is not a Norman Foster inspired redesign of the Nou Camp however (n.b IF this happened, this would be 'state of the art').

Foster + Partners

I really believe it will be a massive factor, we are a club on the up, a club with a future! I really do believe if it were not for us going to Falmer this season we would not of gone up this season, it will make a massive difference!

 

[GoldWithFalmer]

Some big names for sure & they cannot all do well.

Not going to say we are going to be promoted but what Poyet stated last season will remain key again-

We may not have the best individuals,but we will have the best team.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

It's really refreshing reading this thread. I can't for the life of me see us competing in the upper echelons of this division. It is chock full of huge clubs with top players. I would love to be proved wrong and I do have every faith in the men running the club and with Gus and his team, but I honestly would be absolutely delighted to stay in the division first and foremost, and then look push on the following season.
I suspect if there is to be a promoted team to 'do a Norwich' it will be Southampton as they seem to have an enormous amount of wealth, some brilliant players and will probably produce another wonder kid from their ever prospering academy. Just for the record, I would of course love it if we were to busy ourselves in the top half of the table and maybe my opinion will waiver when/if we sign some solid championship players.

 

[Durlston]

Let's look at norwich this season, they went up last season, made a few astute signing without breaking the bank and went up quite easily. Yes its going to be harder, but if norwich can do it am sure we will give it a bloody good go, especially as we will have a packed out atmospheric stadium behind us for the first time for years !

They bought some outstanding players last summer and spent quite a few bob. Simeon Jackson for £600,000, David Fox, Andrew Surman, Andrew Crofts, Elliott Ward, John Ruddy and Steven Smith all for undisclosed fees. That's quite a shopping list and not naive enough to believe they came cheap.

 

[GoldWithFalmer]

I
I really believe it will be a massive factor, we are a club on the up, a club with a future! I really do believe if it were not for us going to Falmer this season we would not of gone up this season, it will make a massive difference!

Exactly-and forget left/right side Brighton boys
I want WEST STAND/EAST STAND/ NORTH STAND BRIGHTON BOYS-who will win

 

[Muzzy]

Seems that some people think that we will be challenging and others grubbing around at the bottom worring about who is going to leave. The reality I think is somewhere in between and with the infrastructure being planned along with a strong scouting network should see us establish ourselves as a solid championship side.

That would do for me, I hope your right! Any where in the top half will be a huge achievement imho.

From past history at other clubs, a fortress new home stadium seems to take a while to set up. It will be a neutral ground for both sides playing at the Amex, until it's bedded in by our players and supporters, especially as the new place is designed to make all sooooo welcome....

Well done to MP for seeing our dreams come true with it's design! But why the hell did you go so far to make it a "national" community stadium? (tongue in cheek remark)

 

[Brian Potter]

I wil quite happily settle for a season of "mid table obscurity", as we look to consolidate and build a squad that can push on to the next phase over the coming few years. Evolution, not revolution is what is going to get us up there and in a sound financial postion.

 

[The Wookiee]

They bought some outstanding players last summer and spent quite a few bob. Simeon Jackson for £600,000, David Fox, Andrew Surman, Andrew Crofts, Elliott Ward, John Ruddy and Steven Smith all for undisclosed fees. That's quite a shopping list and not naive enough to believe they came cheap.

all players that we could of now attracted? My point was is that they have not made huge marquee signings and imo are signings we could of now made being in their same position

 

[Rich Suvner]

Let's get a sense of perspective on the challenge we face. Below is a table using results between top 6:

Southampton 23pts
Huddersfield 21
Bournemouth 13
MK Dons 12
Brighton 11
Peterborough 10

Ok, we played two of our games once winning the title, but frankly our results against the top teams were not very good.

 

[kevtherev]

Teams I don't believe we will better:
Birmingham City, Blackpool, West Ham, Swansea City or Reading, Cardiff City, Nottingham Forest, Leeds United, Leicester City

Teams I believe we can equal or better:
Burnley, Millwall, Hull City, Middlesbrough, Ipswich Town, Watford, Bristol City, Portsmouth, Barnsley, Coventry City, Derby County, Crystal Palace, Southampton

Teams I believe we should better:
Doncaster Rovers, Huddersfield or Peterborough

Clearly you have given that a lot of thought...Birmingham and West Ham are in so much debt its unbelivable. Whilst West Ham do have some very sellable assets Birmingham are an ageing squad with a lot of players out of contract, they are in the shit. Cardiff are also skint and in their last game fielded 7 loan players, they will now start falling back down the league. Forest squad will probbley break up this close season after having two bites at the cherry and coming up short, they also have big debts...Middlesbrough have had a fantastic end to the season and will be top six next year as will Ipswich. We will be fine and fighting it out in the top half of table.

 

[Rich Suvner]

Clearly you have given that a lot of thought...

thanks for being so patronising. fair comments but i don't believe debt necessarily equates to anything in this crazy game. those clubs will still attract the biggest names at this level.

 

[We're the Stripes]

I don't see how you can look forward to next season with anything other than pure excitement really. The fact that we might struggle to compete financially with the very best in this division doesn't mean we can't have a decent season. Gus said himself that our budget will be about the 12th best, so on that basis we certainly shouldn't look out of our depth on the squad-front come August 6th. We'll be fine. Bring it on.

 

[Beach Hut]

I think West Ham and Birmingham will both have wholesale squad changes due to high wages, Blackpool capped their players on £10K so will lose the good ones like Adams.

If we are decidedly average next season in mid table I would be very happy, not sure the JCLs will be though as their perception might be winning all the time.

 

[The Wookiee]

Let's get a sense of perspective on the challenge we face. Below is a table using results between top 6:

Southampton 23pts
Huddersfield 21
Bournemouth 13
MK Dons 12
Brighton 11
Peterborough 10

Ok, we played two of our games once winning the title, but frankly our results against the top teams were not very good.

How did we do against Portsmouth and Watford?

 

[HoveHorace]

It's going to be tough but we will be O.K.

I take heart from the performance of Millwall plus our results against Pompey & Watford this season.

 

[CAPTAIN GREALISH]

we are now back in the big time ? will need a big budget to stay in the division but im sure TONY KNOWS THAT

 

[Bring back Bryan wade!!]

Don't forget that the relegated sides get 12m a year for 4 years parachute money from the Premier League. They will most probably ALL be in the top eight come the end of the season.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Last time in the league was about 94/95. They PACKED out the east terrace at the Goldstone and made a lot of noise. I think we played them in the league cup in 96?

Aye, League Cup in August 1996.

 

[patchamalbion]

anywhere above 22nd will do nicely next season imo