Kuipers last appearance

[Chester Drawers]

FDM The club should now give utmost priority to replacing the image of Leon Knight with Michel Kuipers on the "Legends Wall"

Funny that I was thinking something similar as I was making my way back to Bennett's Field ....although I picked out Mark Lawrenson to go ... here for 4 years(?) and will never admits to playing for us .....

 

[Hiney]

I half-hope we never have to have a player that has had to suffer and enjoy the undulation and helterskelterishness of one troubled club so much to become as fanatical as Michel, but i know i'll miss that idea of having someone so involved, an imperfect player but such a gentleman, so much a representation of our club. The larger we grow, the more businesslike we are to gain success, the emotion of it all for players, and quite possibly for a portion of fans, will undoubtedly evaporate. Kuipers stands for something, and i was greatly moved to see him wipe his eyes as he left the field, and overjoyed to know how much it felt like we meant to him. A brilliant bloke and i hope he stays attached to us in some way. He deserves it and i think we deserve him.

Tremendous words Meado

 

[finlaych]

Legend

 

[HastingsSeagull]

Lovely guy, great player, club legend

 

[LukeOwen]

 

[Uwinsc]

I am very suprised he only got 15 minutes

I imagine there was some sort of agreement between him/Crawley and us as to how long he could play after all they wouldn't have been happy if he had got injured!

 

[Westdene Wonder]

I was upset that i did not attend the match due to the lack of transport provided, but i would have been much more upset having attended and then only seeing Michel in action for 15 mins in his TESTIMONIAL match.

 

[mistahclarke]

FDM The club should now give utmost priority to replacing the image of Leon Knight with Michel Kuipers on the "Legends Wall"

Fully agree and also make space for a Gary Hart addition.

agree, they should have done a fan's vote at the time.

 

[OSRGull]

From OSRGull

Kuipers thanking the fans !

 

[mlg57]

I half-hope we never have to have a player that has had to suffer and enjoy the undulation and helterskelterishness of one troubled club so much to become as fanatical as Michel, but i know i'll miss that idea of having someone so involved, an imperfect player but such a gentleman, so much a representation of our club. The larger we grow, the more businesslike we are to gain success, the emotion of it all for players, and quite possibly for a portion of fans, will undoubtedly evaporate. Kuipers stands for something, and i was greatly moved to see him wipe his eyes as he left the field, and overjoyed to know how much it felt like we meant to him. A brilliant bloke and i hope he stays attached to us in some way. He deserves it and i think we deserve him.

Absolutely, I met him for the first time on Saturday. What a great man he couldn't spend enough time with my son and me making sure we had all the pictures we wanted. I always liked him and he was my sons hero, even more so now, it's players like him that the word Legend rings true.

 

[big nuts]

agree, they should have done a fan's vote at the time.

Totally agree that FDM should be there but not sure about Gary Hart. Personally Ian Chapman, Steve Gatting & Stuart Storer are more deserving in my opinion.

 

[FalmerforAll!**]

Definitely my favourite Albion player of all time, kept this young man a keen Brighton supporter at a time when it was not easy for the club to hold on to it's next generation of fans. As perfectly put by Kerry Mayo, Bobby Zamora scored plenty of goals throughout those back to back promotions at Withdean but Kuipers won points with his saves, something which isn't all that common with goalkeepers. All of this makes him a legend in my opinion, but on top of it, he really is a true gentlemen and in his speech in 1901 after the game, expressed how much it meant to him that the fans felt he had represented the club in an appropriate way. The resounding applause was enough of answer to that. Absolute hero.

I fully expect the club to retire the 287 shirt aswell!

 

[Mr Burns]

Not surprised they subbed him, considering the time he was taking over that goal kick!!

 

[SportsMission]

Michel Kuipers Testimonial Post Match Reaction:

here's what Michel, Gus and Reading manager Brian McDermott thought of the game...