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Withdean's Greatest XI Vote - Left Wing
With the end in sight for Brighton and Hove Albion's
time at Withdean Stadium,
we've decided to put together a poll for the Greatest
XI to pull on the stripes
during our 12 year stay - with this weeks vote being for
the left side of midfield.
Left midfield has often proven
a problem position for English sides to fill in the last
ten years, which was highlighted by the national teams
complete lack of options in that position in the early
years of the 21st century.
Thankfully, the Albion have
had no such problems in filling the role since returning
to Withdean. From Paul Brooker all the way through to
Kazenga LuaLua, we've been blessed with both goals and
assists from the left flank, which will make this particular
vote one of the toughest to call
Please
remember this is a vote for the player you thought to be
the BEST Albion left winger - not your favourite!
Paul Brooker
2000-2003,
118 appearances, 13 goals |
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A week
before Bobby Zamora arrived on loan at Withdean,
a young left midfielder from Fulham came in
by he name of Paul Brooker. His ability to beat
men with pace and trickery resulted in a permanent
transfer at the end of the 1999-2000 season.
Although he tended to disappear once winter
came around, when he was in the team he was
an important player and along with Paul Watson,
supplied most of Zamora's ammunition before leaving
at the end of 2002-03 to rejoin Micky Adams
at Leicester. Memorably only made one tackle
in his entire Albion career, and that resulted
in a red card in the 5-0 defeat at Crystal Palace. |
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Nathan Jones
2000-2005,
159 appearances, 7 goals |
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The
Rhonda Valley Wizard arrived in the summer of
2000 from Southend United as a left back but
he soon found himself pushed forward into the
wide midfield role. A popular player owing to
his unique and effective stepover and his
colourful
choice of hairstyles, Jones scored some wonder
goals for the Albion, none more so than his
halfway line volley away at Nottingham Forest
in 2002. He played a key role wide on the left
as the Albion won three promotions in four years,
including the play-off final at the Millennium
Stadium. Once made the somewhat outlandish
claim that he could be in the Welsh squad once
Ryan Giggs retired from international football. |
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Darren Currie
2004,
22 appearances, 2 goals |
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When
Mark McGhee signed Darren Currie on a free transfer
in July 2004, few would have thought that
five months later he would leave as one of the
best pieces of business in the clubs history.
Despite a chronic lack of pace, Currie
was no doubt one of the most skillful players
to pull on the stripes at Withdean with his
ability to trick has way past virtually any
opponent. Lethal from dead ball situations, it still came as a surprise when Ipswich
offered £250,000 for arguably the clubs best player at that point. With finances tight, the
offer couldn't be refused and despite staying
up that season, it was Currie leaving that proved
the catalyst for the disastrous form that lasted
until 2007. |
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Alexandre Frutos 2005-2007,
45 appearances, 3 goals |
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Frutos
arrived with fellow Frenchman Seb Carole at
the start of the 2005-06 season from French
Ligue 1 side Metz. He soon established himself
as a first team regular down the left flank,
with his direct running and aggressive style
of play making him an important player. Following Mark McGhee's
departure, he fell out of favour with new manager
Dean Wilkins who preferred to play a number
of graduates of his youth team and the final
straw came when he received a straight red card
in a shocking 3-0 home defeat to Blackpool live
on Sky. Come the end of the 2006-07 season,
he agreed to cancel his contract and returned
to France. |
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Dean Cox
2005-2010,
146 appearances, 16 goals |
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A youth
team product, Cox was handed his chance by Mark
McGhee at the start of the 2006-07 season and
never looked back. He became a regular in the
team for the next three years until the arrival
of Gus Poyet whn questions about his attitude
meant that he was deemed surplus to requirements.
Cox was a tricky wideman who would cut onto
his preferred right foot, and was responsible
for a large number of assists in his early days
in the side. Unfortunately, he never really
recaptured the form that saw him start his Albion
career in such a blaze of glory, and after unsuccessful
spells wide on the right and behind the
strikers, he moved to Leyton Orient. |
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Kazenga LuaLua
2010, 22 appearances, 4 goals |
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What words can do Kazenga LuaLua justice?
Arriving on-loan from Newcastle in 2010,
his pace was alarming and his ability
unquestioned. If he was good in his first
loan spell, then when Gus Poyet bought
him back for the second time at the start
of the 2010-11 season, he was unbelievable,
scoring goals that will live long in the
memory against MK Dons, Bournemouth and
Charlton. With League One defences not
having a clue how to defend against him,
he remained a vital weapon and it was no coincidence that the Albion's
one dodgy patch thus far this season came
in the wake of his leg break away at Hartlepool. |
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