WeAreBrighton.com End of Season Awards 2019-20
The votes have been counted and we have all finished reminiscing about the year just gone for Brighton & Hove Albion, meaning that are now in a position to announce the winners of the WeAreBrighton.com End of Season Awards 2019-20.
These were our most popular awards yet with thousands of votes stretching over nine categories. Unlike Graham Potter’s team selections over the course of the year, there were very few surprises which should mean we avoid the normal carousel of complaints for once.
Thank you to everyone who voted and thanks to everyone who has read and enjoyed what we have put out on WAB this season – and of course, congratulations to all our winners. Without further ado, here they are…
WeAreBrighton.com Player of the Season 2019-20 –
Lewis Dunk
Lewis Dunk has come to close to winning our WeAreBrighton.com Player of the Season award on several occasions, only to be pipped at the post every time.
But not this year. Nobody else could get close to the Albion captain, who won with an absolute landslide of 74.09% of the vote, miles ahead of runner up Dan Burn on 9.64% and Neal Maupay in third with 8.99%.
The margin of victory is indicative of what a brilliant campaign Dunk has had, growing into the responsibility that came with inheriting the armband from Bruno as well as proving himself as one of the most capable ball playing centre halves in the Premier League.
Dunk deserves a move this summer to have the opportunity to play for one of England’s biggest clubs, win trophies and add to his solitary England cap.
If he goes, then the Albion should expect to receive a huge fee for his services and he will leave the Amex with the blessings of everyone. From Withdean to Wembley to WeAreBrighton.com Player of the Season, it has been quite the journey.
Previous Winners:Shane Duffy (2019), Pascal Gross (2018), Anthony Knockaert (2017), Bruno (2016), Inigo Calderon (2015) Stephen Ward (2014), Liam Bridcutt (2013, 2012), Glenn Murray (2011), Andrew Crofts (2010).
WeAreBrighton.com Goal of the Season 2019-20 –
Alireza Jahanbakhsh v Chelsea
Alireza Jahanbakhsh has managed just two goals in 36 appearances for Brighton. The second one of those will go down in Albion history as one of the greatest ever scored by a player wearing the stripes.
Chelsea were the visitors to the Amex on New Year’s Day and looked to be cruising to their normal victory against the Seagulls. That was until the Iranian international pulled a beautiful, unstoppable bicycle kick out of nowhere late on to earn the Albion their first ever league point against the Blues.
The decade may have been less than 24 hours old when Jahanbakhsh struck, but in terms of quality it is an effort that probably won’t be topped again in the 2020s.
Previous Winners: Anthony Knockaert (2019), Jose Izquierdo (2018), Steve Sidwell (2017), Jiri Skalak (2016) Rohan Ince (2015), Jake Forster-Caskey (2014), Craig Mackail-Smith (2013), Inigo Calderon (2012), Liam Bridcutt (2011), Gary Dicker (2010).
WeAreBrighton.com Memorable Moment of the Season 2019-20 –
Brighton 2-1 Arsenal
Brighton 2-1 Arsenal had it all, largely thanks to Neal Maupay. The French striker scored a last minute winner, sparked a mass brawl, got throttled by Matteo Guendouzi and then used a post-match interview to tell Arsenal that they needed to learn some humility.
Perhaps most importantly in terms of Brighton & Hove Albion’s 2019-20 season, it brought to an end a barren run of 10 games without a win, making it a worthy awards winner in its own right without all the shenanigans surrounding it.
Brighton were transformed after beating the Gunners and went from being in a relegation scrap to finishing seven points clear of the drop zone. The importance of that first game behind closed doors at the Amex cannot be overstated.
Previous Winners: Doing the double over Palace (2019), Manchester United home (2018), Wigan Athletic home (2017) Sheffield Wednesday home (2016) Fulham away (2015), Forest away (2014), Palace home (2013), Doncaster home (2012), Charlton away (2011), Southampton away (2010).
WeAreBrighton.com Flair Moment of the Season 2019-20 –
Dan Burn’s first touch v Manchester City
Dan Burn set his stall out for a barnstorming first season as a Brighton regular with an excellent August. He was voted our WeAreBrighton.com Player of the Month and gave a string of superlative performances as part of Graham Potter’s early back three.
His best moment came in August’s final game at the Etihad Stadium against Manchester City. A ball was falling 600 metres out of the sky when Burn stuck out his foot, brought it down first time and spun away from Sergio Aguero to advance towards the City half of the pitch.
It was as if Burn’s foot was made from the finest silk. Even Aguero was impressed as he stood there completely dumbfounded before breaking into applause.
Nothing says flair like an Argentinian international and one of the finest strikers to grace English football applauding a 6’7 defender signed from Wigan Athletic.
Previous Winners: Glenn Murray (2019), Anthony Knockaert (2018), Blowing the title (2017), Colin Calderwood (2016), Chris O’Grady (2015), Andrea Orlandi (2014), Liam Bridcutt (2013), Vicente (2012), Cristian Baz (2011), Inigo Calderon (2010).
Comedy Moment of the Season 2018-19 –
Ezequiel Schelotto makes Wilfried Zaha cry
Before February of the 2019-20 season, no Brighton player had ever won one of our WeAreBrighton.com Player of the Month awards based purely on the fact that he made a crying gesture at an opponent.
Take a bow then, Ezequiel Schelotto. Not only did the Greyhound pick up February’s Player of the Month accolade, but he now has Comedy Moment of the Season to go with it.
In a scene which could have come straight from a pantomime at the Theatre Royal, substitute Schelotto started the fun and games by deliberately launching a ball at Wilfried Zaha’s head.
When this upset poor ickle Wilf, Schelotto then decided to mock Palace’s golden child by pretending to cry, causing an almighty tantrum from Zaha – much to the Amex’s delight.
Schelotto picked up a yellow card for his troubles and Zaha went onto somehow miss an open goal from less than five yards in the second half. We will save you a reminder of the final score.
Previous Winners: Yves Bissouma (2019), Anthony Knockaert (2018).
WeAreBrighton.com Villain of the Season 2019-20 –
Matteo Guendouzi
Brighton & Hove Albion’s 2-1 win over Arsenal in June provides a second winner in our WeAreBrighton.com 2019-20 Awards, this time for Matteo Guendouzi whose performance that day earns him the title of Villain of the Season.
We have already touched upon Guendouzi throttling Neal Maupay but there was much more to the Arsenal midfielder’s bastardy efforts that day.
He was later reported to have spent the 90 minutes telling the Albion’s players how they would never earn as much nor win as many trophies as he would in his career.
Maupay and co had the last laugh, however – not only was it revealed that Brighton’s top earners take home £50,000 per week compared to Guendouzi’s £40,000, but Guendouzi didn’t feature again in the 2019-20 season for the Gunners in the wake of his antics and the Amex with Mikel Arteta now desperate to sell this summer. Ha.
Previous Winners: Ricardo Gold (2019), Crystal Palace Fans (2018), Alex Pritchard (2017), Mike Dean (2016), David Burke (2015), Nigel Adkins (2014), El Hadj Diouf (2013), Glenn Murray (2012). Nigel Adkins (2011), Dean Hammond (2010)
Strangest Tactical Decision of the Season 2019-20 –
Crossing to two hobbits away at Bournemouth
Graham Potter made many weird and wonderful moves throughout the 2019-20 season which has spawned this new category for our Brighton End of Season Awards 2019-20 – Strangest Tactical Decision of the Season.
It was a close fought battle between playing Ezequiel Schelotto up front, going to Manchester United with a high defensive line and the utter shambles that was Plucky Little Bournemouth away. That desperate January evening at the Vitality Stadium has done just about enough to win.
A treble change on the hour mark with Brighton 2-0 down was an acknowledgement that Potter had got his starting XI very wrong against Smug Eddie’s strugglers.
On came Leandro Trossard and Solly March, who began pumping crosses into the box. The problem? Those crosses were being aimed at the Hobbit-like attacking duo of Neal Maupay and Aaron Connolly while Glenn Murray – who would have thrived on such service – sat on the bench. Oh, and it was also the same game when we got to see Dale Stephens at right back. A bizarre night all round.
Previous Winners: New category!
WeAreBrighton.com Look-a-like of the Season 2019-20 –
Ezequiel Schelotto – Captain Jack Sparrow
For a bloke who only played nine times for Brighton in 2019-20, Ezequiel Schelotto has done bloody well to land himself two of our WeAreBrighton.com End of Season Awards.
Going with the gong for Comedy Moment of the Season is the honour of the Look-a-Like of the Year Award. This is actually the second time that Schelotto has won it and he becomes the first player in the history of the award to do so with two different look-a-likes.
Back in 2018, you decided that his uncanny resemblance to Jesus Christ was worthy of the win. Two years later and Schelotto returned from lockdown looking less like the son of God and more like Captain Jack Sparrow having grown a beard and platted his hair.
Captain Jack was fond of drinking large quantities of rum. If Schelotto also shares that in common with his latest doppelganger, then that might explain some of the more erratic performances during his three seasons at the Albion.
Previous Winners: Neil from The Inbetweeners (2019, 2015), Jesus Christ (2018, 2016), Shirley from EastEnders (2017),
WeAreBrighton.com Sexiest Player of the Season 2019-20 –
Maty Ryan
Bruno and Maty Ryan enjoyed a ding-dong battle for the coveted Sexiest Player of the Season Award over the previous two seasons with Ryan winning in 2018 and El Capitan taking the honours in 2019.
With Bruno having retired at the end of the 2018-19 season, the accolade is back in Ryan’s safe hands – but only just. The Socceroo’s 27.27% of the vote held off Handsome Davy Propper who secured 26.49% to come second.
What swung it Ryan’s way? Our theory is that his pledge to donate A$500 for every clean sheet kept in the Premier League over the weekend of January 11th swung it – after all, a fantastic looking bloke and someone who is willing to pay $55,000 out of his own pocket to save kangaroos and koalas is an irresistible combination.
