[Albion] Knocky Retires

[Pevenseagull]

Total eclipse by Knockaert.


I f***ing love promotion seasons.

 

[Blues Guitarist]

Any excuse to rewatch this gem.

I watched that game while on the running machine in my home gym. I was screaming at the screen “cross the ball”. And then he did that. Wonderful!!!

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

What a player….
Some great moments…..
Always seemed to turn up to support us at Chelsea as well when he was about.

Hope he comes along as a half-time guest this season….

 

[Barham's tash]

So many superlatives have been said about him which I won't repeat but have never wanted a player in the stripes to be a success more than I did him once we got to the Premier League. His abilities in the Championship are unparalled for me but fell marginally short of being an established Premier League player which was a shame.

Phenomenal impact to the squad's performances attitude and character. Such a huge part of #together as well opitomising what that meant both in his contribution and the togetherness shown by the squad in his dark times.

His arrival came out of the blue as usual for us I suppose and at a not unsubstantial fee of £2.5m (if memory serves) and the fact that once he was sadly surplus to requirements we managed to extract something in the region all in of £15m from Fulham was incredible value. (Loan fee, wage contribution and eventual £10m transfer fee).

Thank you Anthony. A wonderful player to watch, a fantastic human being and superb servant to the club. Well worth your long lived legacy of joy.

 

[Pliny the Gull]

Top man. Whatever the game, played it like a cup final.
Guaranteed 100 percent performance. For himself, the team, and the fans. Best wishes. Hope to see you back.

 

[WestYorkshireSeagull]

Loved him, fraustrated by him but will always love him and will always smile looking back at his time here.

One of my all time favourite albion players without doubt

 

[dazzer6666]

I was in the queue for the fish and chip van on the outside concourse before the home play-off leg v Massive when the team news came out. There was no expectation he was going to play as he‘d been injured in the first leg. The team announcement caused an absolute buzz in everyone waiting as word very quickly spread - ‘Knocky’s playing !!’. That happening, and the fact I can recall it so vividly, is a measure of his importance to us at the time and his potential impact on a game.

Mercurial and almost unplayable at Championship level at his best, always wore his heart on his sleeve and also always seemed to me a bit fragile and needed to be loved/be the centre of attention but I think that goes with the type of character he is (he sought and adored the attention from when in the crowd at Chelsea and West Ham too). Huge, huge part of our promotion and so many iconic incidents - that goal at Palace topping them all (and giving me several bruises as I was bundled over two rows of seats ).

Best of luck Knocky and thanks for the memories

 

[Flounce]

Goosebumps.

Thanks Knocky

 

[HantsSeagull]

Any excuse to post this gem - one of the best fan photos ever after his greatest goal (not my photo)

 

[Insel affe]

Fantastic player in his time, loved his showboating and passion.

 

[Official Old Man]

Not the greatest player we've ever had but a player who was part of the greatest period we've ever had. A huge cog in a massive wheel that was BHA in 2017 as we bulldozed our way to the promised land.

 

[Monkey Man]

When we'd just signed him I was talking to a Leicester fan and said I couldn't remember watching a Brighton player with such flair and such passion. It just seemed too good to be true.

My friend sighed a bit and said something along the lines of: yes, he's flair, and he's got passion, and he's very good. But maybe not quite as good as you're currently thinking.

Watching him for us was exhilirating and exasperating, sometimes at different times, sometimes within the same match. When he got on the ball and headed goalwards the entire stadium seemed to rise to its feet. That stopped happening towards the end of his time here as there was a sense that he was biting off more than he could chew.

That said, I couldn't believe it when I heard he was being let go. My conclusion was that Potter didn't really want many "ego" players in his squad.

For all his faults, Knocky was possibly the perfect Brighton player. A flawed genius, unplayable on his day, and sometimes more passionate than the crowd. We like players like that, don't we?

 

[jackalbion]

Every time he got the ball I was on the edge of my seat, I don't remember many at Brighton making me feel like that, passionate, insane, loved a tantrum, everything you want from a talisman. Truly one of the greats at this club.

 

[Dr Q]

As was that moment wen Sidwell scored that cracker against Bristol City and ran to the bench to pick up the shirt with his name on the back

Still brings a lump to the throat when you see it again. Very emotional moment.

Knocky was a legend. Happy retirement fella.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

His final goal for us was the perfect way to sign off a memorable spell at the Albion. A winner at Palace, a spectacular strike, and Muzza's amazed reaction. Happy trails to a club legend/

 

[Flounce]

Every time he got the ball I was on the edge of my seat, I don't remember many at Brighton making me feel like that, passionate, insane, loved a tantrum,

True but controversially so was Leon Knight under Coppell

 

[wardy wonder land]

pluss the failed knee-slide top momnets form the orginal french shithouse

 

[SweatyMexican]

In the Championship he was unplayable. I'd never seen anything like it, not until Mitoma came along!

If he was 1v1, the defender needn't bother turning up.

 

[rippleman]

He was real box office. He clearly loved the game and the club. And we loved him.

Wish him and his family much love for whatever the future holds.

Thanks Knocky

 

[Biscuit]

Here's a video I made after our promotion to the PL. Obvs got barred from YouTube, but you can see it here:



Covers the whole season, but Knocky features heavily <3