Calvin Andrew, the Eagle who helped save the Seagulls

When you think of the key players in Russell Slade’s Great Escape of 2009, who comes to mind? Lloyd Owusu obviously as without his goals we’d have been doomed to League Two.

Gary Hart, having done next to nothing for the previous two seasons, enjoyed a remarkable renaissance to become the assist king for Owusu. Gary Dicker’s signing on-loan from Stockport County proved to be a masterstroke and alongside him in midfield, Doug Loft and Tommy Fraser managed to string together the best six weeks of their careers.

One man who tends to be overlooked on the honours list is Calvin Andrew. Maybe it’s because his goals were overshadowed by the remarkable output of Owusu or maybe it is because he was signed from Crystal Palace and we’d be loathe to heap praise on one of them. But whatever the reason, Andrew’s form in the final few weeks of the campaign was every bit as important to Brighton’s survival as anybody else mentioned.

Andrew arrived from Selhurst Park in January on a six-month loan deal as part of Micky Adams’s new plan, which involved throwing as many new signing darts at his board as possible in the desperate hope of pulling the Albion away from the League One relegation zone and saving his job at the same time.

As a result, in came Jason Jarrett, Chris Birchall, Craig Davies, Seb Carole, Jim McNulty and Andrew. The first five of those offered very little to the relegation battle – Jarrett and Birchall were discarded once Slade arrived, Davies is best remembered for missing an open goal from two yards away at Milton Keynes Dons on the day when “You’re not fit to wear the shirt” rang out from the away end, Carole was discarded after that defeat in Buckinghamshire and McNulty was ruled out for the season after a freak injury in his fifth appearance resulted in a kidney being removed.

After his first month at the club, Andrew looked like he’d go the same way – a pointless Adams signing due to a serious injury striking four games into his Brighton career. Having scored eight career goals in 41 starts and 48 substitute appearances for Luton Town, Grimsby Town, Bristol City and Palace for whom he signed in the summer of 2008, he notched goal number nine on his Albion debut, a 90th minute winner against Hartlepool United at Withdean.

Adams was impressed with his new striker, captured despite the interest of Yeovil Town. “Calvin is a young centre forward and will complement our existing forwards by giving us an added physical presence up front. I thought he was excellent. He won an enormous amount in the air, which gives you confidence.”

“At least you can set your team around somebody that, 90 per cent of the time, is going to win the ball. We improved with him in the side and it was as good a debut as you will see. He was different class.”

Unfortunately for Adams, that was the first and only goal Andrew would score under his stewardship. Three games later and a shock defeat at Luton Town in the Paint Pot Southern Final brought Adam’s second spell at the Albion to an end. It also looked to be the end for Andrew as he limped off in the 77th minute at Kenilworth Road with a hamstring torn in two places.

That should have ruled him out for the remainder of the campaign but after returning to Palace for intensive treatment, Andrew was remarkably back in a Brighton shirt just two months later. By now, Slade was at the helm and he eased the striker back in slowly with four appearances from the substitutes bench, three of which resulted in massive victories away at Colchester United, against Oldham Athletic at Withdean and on the road to Bristol Rovers.

It was in the third of those wins, a memorable night away at the Memorial Stadium that he really made his mark. Having replaced the injured Dean Cox at half time, Andrew netted his second goal for the club to put the Albion 2-1 ahead when heading home a brilliant right wing cross from Hart.

That sparked fantastic celebration scenes with Slade sprinting down the touchline like a young Jose Mourinho. It also turned out to be the winner, securing a huge three points which meant that victory away at Huddersfield Town four days later would guarantee survival and complete a remarkable turnaround for a side who had been seven points adrift with seven games remaining.

Victory eluded the Albion at the Galpham Stadium that day as they drew 2-2 with the Terriers but Andrew again proved his worth with another crucial goal after replacing Hart with nine minutes played, this time heading home a corner to cancel out Andy Booth’s first half opener. A second equaliser arrived in the second half from Owusu to secure a vital draw.

That meant that everything now hinged on the final game of the season at home to Stockport where an Albion victory would send two of Crewe Alexandra, Carlisle United and Northampton Town down and save the Seagulls in a very congested bottom of the table.

Andrew was determined to play his part, defying his position as a full-time Palace employee by saying, “It means a lot for me that Brighton stay up even though I am only on loan. I have been made to not only feel part of the team but part of the town and it would be awful to go down. The supporters have been great and welcomed me even though I am from a rival team so it is my duty to give 110%. Just because I am on loan, it doesn’t make any difference.”

Just like in the previous week at Huddersfield, Andrew didn’t have long to wait for his introduction from the substitutes bench as he came on for Hart who lasted 17 minutes this time. Andrew saw a header hit the bar and was then withdrawn himself at the interval through injury for Nicky Forster who would go onto score the only goal 15 minutes from time.

At full time, the Withdean pitch was invaded and Slade was hoisted into the air by supporters and carried around the centre circle. West Street was wild with celebrations afterwards, including one member of the WeAreBrighton.com team who lost his phone, wallet and door keys as part of the party.

It’s impossible to state just how important the job Slade did in keeping the Albion in League One was to the future of the club. Had Brighton been relegated into League Two, there is little prospect Gus Poyet would have followed Slade into the managers job, the first season at the Amex wouldn’t have begun in the Championsip and the Albion’s recent history would look very, very different.

Slade will find an unlimited number of Brighton residents willing to buy him a pint anytime he is back in the city as a result. As will Owusu. As will Hart. And so should Calvin Andrew – the Eagle who helped save the Seagulls.