The half-time whistle sounded, both teams headed for the tunnel and the 1983 Brighton boys emerged onto the pitch.
They were special guests to mark the 40th anniversary of this club’s first and only FA Cup final. They talked about Wembley and fond memories and the new ground opened up by Roberto De Zerbi’s current crop. And then the sprinklers came on and watered these heroes of yesteryear.
Nothing can rain on Brighton’s New History Boys Parade. Not now. Not after that win over already-relegated Southampton thanks to Evan Ferguson’s first-half brace and a record-breaking third from Pascal Gross. Brighton is heading into uncharted waters.
With two games to play, De Zerbi’s side are sixth, three points behind Aston Villa. European football is secure for the first time. Only two defeats and a goal difference of 17 can deny them a place in the Europa League. Villa are waiting for the final day, but here Brighton players and staff have reappeared for a victory lap. To thank their supporters and digest what they have done.
Captain Lewis Dunk went out first. His journey to Brighton began at MK Dons in May 2010. Now he can dream of trips to continental powerhouses. “I didn’t think it could happen when I made my debut,” said the defender. And no wonder – this club was in Ligue 1 at the time. “It’s a dream come true for all of us,” Gross added. “The best day of my life as a footballer.”
Roberto De Zerbi helped Brighton secure their place in history with a top-five finish
The celebrations were led by Lewis Dunk, who has been at the club since his Ligue 1 days
The celebrations began long before the final whistle, but only after Southampton threatened to ruin the party in a crazy four minutes in the second half. Mohamed Elyounoussi halved the deficit with a chilling header and then Theo Walcott raced clear to equalise.
Alas, the winger was offside and, before long, Brighton had restored their two-goal lead and the fans were singing and dancing again. De Zerbi joined in by taking a photo on the pitch with his team. But then came a warning and a message to owner Tony Bloom.
“Winning can be dangerous,” said the Italian. “If you celebrate winning it’s normal but you have to improve and work harder when you win than when you lose… Now is the crucial moment for the club.
‘Tony is Brighton’s first fan but now I’m waiting for him. We have to put together a new team… we have to come ready.
Brighton would do well to do everything to keep this brilliant manager. It doesn’t matter that De Zerbi insisted: “I would never have thought of changing teams… it’s an honor (to work here).
Brighton players celebrated their success on the pitch after the final whistle
Tony Bloom (centre) would be wise to heed his head coach’s urging ahead of the next transfer window
Southampton, meanwhile, will soon begin preparing for life in the Championship under their fourth manager in a year. They should appoint Russell Martin in the coming days. But no one could accuse Ruben Selles of calling him here. The Spaniard didn’t hear about his potential replacement until after the game.
‘I know nothing. I haven’t read anything at all,” he said. “It hasn’t changed my position… I’ll just say that I’m very respectful of the club. I expect that if something happens like this and it happens before the Liverpool game, someone will come to me and communicate to me in the right way.
He expects to be in charge on Sunday. “If something changes, it’s not my decision,” added Selles. “I’m not worried about my future – my contract expires at the end of the season… I can’t control it, so I can’t devote time to it.”
This defeat makes it 12 games without a win for Southampton. They sounded out Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca before turning to Swansea boss Martin. Hope this meeting works out. Poor managerial decisions have cost them dearly this season and Selles has been left with an impossible job. Not such chaos on the coast in Brighton.
They should have led before Ferguson fired a shot under Alex McCarthy. Kaoru Mitoma missed a few glorious openings before creating Ferguson’s second with a fine cross.
Carlos Alcaraz had previously fended off a brilliant chance to put Southampton ahead. Beyond that, however, visitors offered little warning of the fightback to come.
At the other end of the spectrum, their opponents Southampton are preparing for the Championship next season
They showed no sign of joining Brighton after Gross found the nearest corner. It was the German’s 26th Premier League goal, equaling a club record. Very soon, Gross and his teammates will write more entries in the Albion history books.
De Zerbi knew it was possible in February, when they dropped points against rivals Crystal Palace. The reaction of his players told him something: “That moment was the first time I spoke to them about the Champions League,” he said. “Our goal in the dressing room was the Champions League.”
It turned out beyond them. Not that anyone inside the Amex seemed to care about that outcome.
“I’m at a loss for words,” goaltender Jason Steele said. “I hope everyone’s passport is up to date!” »
