Party time at Aston Villa ends this greatest ever Brighton season

The prospect of Brighton needing a result on the final day of the season at Aston Villa was terrifying. Six years might have passed that that fateful last game of the 2016-17 Championship season, but the mere thought of Villa Park in the sunshine is enough to bring your correspondent out in a cold sweat.

Brighton could (and should) have been crowned Championship champions for the first time in their history. Three points from three matches were all that had been required, only for the Albion to lose away at Norwich City and home to Bristol City.

That meant everything came down to Villa away. Up until the 89th minute, it looked like Bruno would be getting his hands on the most historic trophy in English football other than the FA Cup.

The Albion led 1-0 thanks to a Glenn Murray penalty. Murray was so excited that he even whipped out ‘The Glenn’ celebration of hand on forehead, rarely seen during his second spell at the club.

But then a young Jack Grealish shot from 30 yards out of hope more than anything. Somehow, the ball squirmed through the legs of David Stockdale to make the score Aston Villa 1-1 Brighton.

Newcastle United won the league. Albion fans headed home disappointed. And all those Del Boy characters who were on the streets of Birmingham waiting to sell blue and white scarves reading CHAMPIONS 2016-17 were sitting on a shitload of unsalable stock.

Failing to get the job done at Villa Park should probably not have come as a surprise. Brighton have an awful record away at Aston Villa, having won just once there in 14 attempts.

Thank goodness then that there is nothing riding on visit number 15 for the Albion. It is a free hit, akin to visiting the Woo Casino and spending somebody else’s money.

Villa can win 8-0 with eight shots all going through the legs of Jason Steele and Brighton are still guaranteed to finish sixth. Still guaranteed Europa League football for the first time ever.

The trip to Birmingham instead becomes an afternoon of celebration. One big party under absolutely no pressure to celebrate the achievements of this incredible group of Brighton players, the brilliance of Roberto De Zerbi and arguably the greatest season in the 122 year history of the Albion.

It may also be a farewell to some of the key individuals who have helped deliver such success. Alexis Mac Allister is wanted by Liverpool and Manchester City and he deserves the chance to go and double his wages playing for a club who challenges for trophies every year.

Mac Allister has been the ultimate professional, never agitating for a move. He has bided his time, put Brighton on the map by helping Argentina win the World Cup and has more than earned the opportunity to play for one of the biggest teams in the world.

Moises Caicedo might follow Mac Allister out the door, if someone makes an offer too good for Brighton to turn down. After that January transfer saga involving Chelsea, Arsenal and Instagram, Caicedo has played some of the best football of his life.

His head could easily have been turned but like Elliott Bennett in 2011 when denied a winter move, Caicedo has knuckled down and played a huge part in delivering Brighton’s aims for the campaign.

Bennett was subsequently sold when Norwich came back in once the job of becoming League One champions was done. Will the same scenario play out if Chelsea or Arsenal return for Caicedo now the job of European qualification is done?

Levi Colwill may return to Chelsea at the end of his season long loan with Brighton. If Colwill does leave Stamford Bridge permanently this summer, he could easily go somewhere else other than the Amex if one of the European Super League Elite Six make a big money bid Brighton cannot compete with.

Joel Veltman is out of contract and who knows what may happen to some of the other stars of the season, like Pervis Estupinan and Kaoru Mitoma, if mega bids materialise?

Nobody expected Brighton 4-0 West Ham on the final day of the previous campaign to be the last time we saw Marc Cucurella in an Albion shirt. A couple of months and £62 million later and he was a Chelsea player.

Mac Allister will get the send off at Villa Park he deserves, if indeed this is goodbye. Caicedo too. That is the beauty of there being nothing for Brighton to play for.

Villa in contrast do have something on the line. If they match or better Spurs’ result against relegation-threatened 1996 Coca Cola Cup runners up The Leeds United, then Europa Conference football comes to Villa Park next season.

That will be some achievement by Villa, given where they were when Unai Emery took over in October. Relegation looked a distinct possibility back then, only for the likeable Spaniard to instigate a quite incredible turnaround which has lifted Villa to the cusp of Europe.

This is where things become tricky as a Brighton supporter. You never want your own team not to win. But after the way the Albion were cheated out of two perfectly good goals and two blatant penalties at Spurs last month, it would be bloody hilarious if Tottenham missed out on Europe altogether.

It would also be good to be joined by another non European Super League Elite Six club in continental competition next season.

The Premier League and the FA are undoubtedly tearing their hair out at what Newcastle, Brighton and Villa in Europe will mean for England’s coefficient ranking.

Not to mention it strengthening the resolve of Chelsea and Spurs to breakaway and join a future Super League, where qualification is not required and so the big clubs cannot be embarrassed by the likes of the Albion and Villa.

A dream scenario then? Spurs draw at Leeds, which sends the Peacocks and their self-entitled, somewhat deluded fanbase back into the Championship.

Aston Villa against Brighton also ends in a draw, which is enough to keep the Albion’s hosts ahead of Tottenham in the standings.

And we all get very, very drunk on a Bank Holiday weekend in the pubs of Birmingham. The best way to end this most memorable, incredible season, no?