Haydon Roberts voted WeAreBrighton.com Player of the Month for September 2019
Well, we didn’t see this one coming. The fact that Brighton failed to win a Premier League game from three attempts in September and only managed to score a single goal seemingly didn’t impress many Albion fans as 17-year-old defender Haydon Roberts was voted our WeAreBrighton.com Player of the Month.
Roberts played only once and that was in the 3-1 Carabao Cup defeat to Aston Villa. The teenage centre back did at least manage to score the Albion’s consolation and afterwards spoke about his desire to partner Lewis Dunk at the heart of the Seagulls’ defence and then eventually inherit the captaincy. Not short of ambition is Roberts.
In securing 44.89% of the vote, Roberts breaks a couple of records. He is easily the youngest player ever to win one of our Player of the Month awards and has also becomes the first man to do so having played just one game that month for the Albion.
Ryan Babel famously won last April’s award despite the fact he played for Fulham after scoring the goal which all but guaranteed Brighton’s Premier League safety by relegating Cardiff City instead of the Albion.
Should Roberts fulfil the undoubted potential that he has, then it could well be the first of many Player of the Month awards in the years going forward for the England youth international.
Second place went to another young prospect with Steve Alzate earning 20.12% of the vote. Alzate was man-of-the-match on his Premier League debut in the 0-0 draw away at Newcastle United and followed that up by an impressive showing against Chelsea the following week despite Brighton being well beaten 2-0 at Stamford Bridge.
As a result of those performances, he signed a new four-year deal with the club last week. The midfielder is clearly another to keep an eye on in the coming months and years although he will hopefully cut diving out of his game. He was booked for simulation at Chelsea and was lucky to escape without a yellow for the same thing at Newcastle.
Rounding off the top three was Dale Stephens, a player who seems to be thriving under the tutelage of Graham Potter. It’s fair to say that Stephens looked a little lost in the second half of last season playing in Chris Hughton’s disastrous 4-3-3 formation but the return to a midfield two has benefited him hugely and he’s enjoyed probably his best month of Premier League football so far.
That’s recognised by the fact he secured 16.41% share of the vote, more than double what more popular individuals like Lewis Dunk and Maty Ryan received.
Hopefully, it’s also a sign that those vocal critics of Stephens who attempted to turn him into last season’s hate figure are slowly eating their words.
Haydon Roberts – 44.89%
Steve Alzate – 20.12%
Dale Stephens – 16.41%
Lewis Dunk – 8.36%
Maty Ryan – 8.05%
Neal Maupay – 2.17%
