WeAreBrighton.com Player of the Month - August 2012

One win out of four was quite a contrast to last season's opening month but what a win it was - the highest at The Amex with a 5-1 demolition of Barnsley in which the Albion didn't really ever hit top gear.

Impressive performances were put in as we failed to score in defeat away at Hull and the first game at home in front of over 25,000 when Cardiff visited while the cock up in the COCup is probably best forgotten.

One player on this months shortlist in the form of Craig Noone looks like he is heading off to pastures new before the end of the transfer window and Gus Poyet has had a fine summer in terms of new recruits, with three debutants in with a claim of the prize

August 2012 Player of the Month - Bruno (37.23% of the vote)
	Swashbuckling full back Bruno has made quite an impression in his first five games in an Albion shirt. Things didn't get off to the best of starts with that 3-0 defeat at Swindon but he looked solid at Hull before two superb performances against Cardiff and Barnsley at The Amex - including an outrageous piece of skill that wouldn't look out of place on the beaches of Brazil in the Bluebirds visit. His cavalier style has already endeared him to fans, as has his ability to get forward and cause all manner of problems for the opposition as well as a traditional, no nonsense approach to defending Played 4 (4 starts, 0 sub). Scored 0.
	Second: Ashley Barnes (22.34% of the vote) Carried on where he left off last season in the withdrawn striker role. Should have scored at Swindon and was on fire for the visit of Barnsley, with only Craig Mackail-Smith's cheeky little touch denying him a deserved hat-trick. Finally looks to be winning around The Amex crowd.
	Third: Wayne Bridge (21.28% of the vote) Whoever thought the former England left back had chosen to come to Sussex for an easy season should think again. He's already got his name on the score sheet with a screamer against Barnsley and has looked a class above, playing a huge part in a much more solid Seagulls defence

The contenders:
	Ashley Barnes - Continued where he left off last season with a brace against Barnsley which could have been a hat-trick had Craig Mackail-Smith not pinched one. That Aye Aye Ashley Ashley Barnes song is getting louder at The Amex.
	Wayne Bridge - Lost his hunger and coming to the seaside for an easy ride? We don't think so after a mightily impressive first month on-loan from Manchester City in which the former England left back opened his account in his fourth appearance.
	Bruno - When Inigo Calderon has been your right back for two and a half seasons, its hard to see how a replacement could be more flair. That was until this man arrived from Valencia. Tricks galore, bombs forward at every opportunity and defensively sound.
	Adam El-Abd - Came back into the side at the expense of Lewis Dunk after the Swindon debacle with the defence instantly looking more solid. Only two goals conceded since and a recall to the Egypt side was the reward.
	Gordon Greer - A hair transplant (rumoured) hasn't done anything to change the captains form as he continues to be the rock at the back. Didn't enjoy the best of returns to the County Ground but since then has excellend alongside Adam El-Abd.
	Tomasz Kusczcak - The third new man to make the list. Had any of last seasons four goalkeepers been in between the posts, the Cardiff game probably would have been lost. Commanding, solid and what we have been crying out for for some time.
	Craig Mackail-Smith - For all this talk of a new striker, CMS was becoming something of a forgotten man. Not any more hopefully as he got his season up and running with two against Barnsley and impressive displays at Hull and home to Cardiff.
	Craig Noone - It looks as though he may be heading to Cardiff for a big fee and if so he finished his Albion career on a high. Looked extremely dangerous against both his potential new club and Barnsley, even though his crossing was totally woeful against Swindon.