What’s that about many a true word being spoken in jest?
At the opening of the impressive new Albion megastore at the Amex last week I did a brief, tongue-in-cheek, insert for The Seagulls Social Podcast online regarding the ongoing Crystal Palace European saga, joking that Palace, if they get the nod from UEFA, would potentially be as effective as a three-pin plug on the continent.
But with the Palace decision imminent, in reality, and it almost grieves me to say it, they will probably do quite well in the lower tier of European competition.
It still doesn’t detract from the fact that I wrote long before the Eagles lifted the FA Cup and effectively put Albion out of the European mix for 25/26, I thought a season in the Conference for the Albion would be counter-productive for the long-term development of Fabian Hurzeler’s squad.
Brighton & Hove Albion take on AS Romain Europe in the 2023-24 season (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images)placeholder image
Brighton & Hove Albion take on AS Romain Europe in the 2023-24 season (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images)
Tony Bloom famously promised the Albion a trophy ‘very soon’ at the 1983 Cup Final Reunion Dinner in 2023, and I believe he will be true to his word.
But let Fab and his squad get their heads down on the domestic front in the forthcoming campaign without the distraction of the minimum eight bouts of Thursday/Sunday games with the increased travelling commitments on top of that.
Like the rest of the Albion faithful I loved our first European tour, and we will do it again, but in at least in the Europa, possibly the Champions League, with a talented, more experienced squad, equipped to compete on both domestic and European fronts at the same time.
The bottom line is whatever UEFA decide with Palace, in the cold light of day for all the rivalry, replacing them by default wouldn’t actually sit right with me, nor I’d imagine with many other Albion fans.
Let’s qualify for the more prestigious competitions by way of of league position in the upcoming season rather than going back to Europe by the back door.
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