Play-offs a realistic target now Adams is back at the helm

Brighton had a summer of upheaval after manager Dean Wilkins was removed from his role as manager after the Seagulls just fell short of reaching the play-offs last season.

Micky Adams returned to the Withdean Stadium where he had previously led Brighton to the League Two title in 2001 and Wilkins turned down the offer of becoming first team coach saying: "I was extremely disappointed with the decision taken by the club.

"After careful consideration of the offer, I have decided to move on and I will be looking to continue coaching or in management elsewhere. It has been a wrench for me to leave a club I have been associated with for 20 years. But I have been in the game long enough to know that is the nature of football. And I would like to thank those players, staff and supporters who have supported me during that time."

The return of Adams has heralded another new era in Brighton's colourful history and they have started promisingly in League One. Two away wins and two home draw have ensured the Seagulls are fourth in the table but Adams knows there is more to come from his team. "We know if we perform like that too often at Withdean we'll get beat," he said after the recent goalless home draw with Leyton Orient.

"It was another disappointing home display, but we got a point. The positive thing was that we didn't get beat, but we came close to it."

Adams pulled off a coup in the summer by bringing David Livermore to the club on a free transfer from Hull and he has also recruited Adam Virgo from Celtic along with former Colchester winger Kevin McLeod.
Expectations are notoriously high at Brighton and the news that they will be returning to a ground they can call their own is looming ever closer with Chief Executive Martin Perry saying: "Our target is to get on site by the end of this year. The fans want to see shovels in the ground and it looks as if we are going to achieve that."

Transfers In:

David Livermore (Hull City)
Kevin McLeod (Colchester)

Adam Virgo (Celtic)
Colin Hawkins (Coventry City)

Matt Richards (Ipswich Town/Loan)

Prediction: Brighton will surpass last year's achievements and reach the play-offs.

A Brief History of Brighton and Hove Albion FC

Brighton's crowning glory was reaching the FA Cup Final in 1983 where they held Manchester United to a 2-2 draw before losing 4-0 in the replay. The match was remembered for manager Jimmy Melia's famous white shoes and the fact that Brighton had already been relegated from the top flight of English football on their way to reaching the final.

Brighton have won League One on two occasions in 1965 and 2002 whilst also winning League Two in 1958 and 2001. They were founded in 1901 and joined the Football League in 1920 having won the FA Charity Shield in 1910 beating Aston Villa in the final. The Seagulls' big rivals are Crystal Palace and their nickname was allegedly started in response to Palace supporters chanting 'Eagles' at a game between the two old adversaries.

They reached the top flight for the first time in their history back in 1979 and they spent four years in the elite of English football with a highest ever finish of 13th in 1982. The following year saw them relegated whilst perversely, bringing the best moment in their history with the FA Cup final performance against Manchester United.

The Seagulls tumbled through the divisions and were minutes away from dropping out of the Football League until Robbie Reinelt's equaliser against Hereford saw the Bulls tumble out of the League in a winner takes all game in 1997.

That was also the year they sold their ground and effectively became homeless and two seasons in exile 70 miles away ground-sharing in Gillingham before the council gave them permission to use the city's Withdean Athletics Stadium. They have been granted a lease to continue playing there until 2011 but they are still pushing for their own stadium at Falmer, which will house 23,000 if and when complete.

Since 1997 they have won three promotions and suffered two relegations and find themselves back in familiar territory in the form of League One.

Did You Know: Brighton supporters have a fanzine called 'And Smith must score' after the famous moment in the FA Cup Final in 1983. Gordon Smith was left one-on-one with Manchester United goalkeeper Gary Bailey to score the winning goal when the commentator uttered the immortal line but Smith missed and the Seagulls subsequently lost the replay.