Solly March went from Sussex non-league football to the Premier League and Europa League
The odds of a local lad breaking through all the way to Premier League football are so stacked against. Solly March did it, and did it with style and class.
The Hailsham-born winger played the final 30 minutes of Albion's season-ending 3-0 defeat to Manchester United at the Amex Stadium last Sunday. It was his 300th appearance for his hometown club, and his last.
A Brighton 300 shirt was presented to the 31-year-old in the changing room after the match and head coach Fabian Hurzeler praised his contribution.
"Three hundred," said the German. "A great achievement. You had a really tough season [with injuries] but you always fought back.
"You were there for the team, for the club. Three hundred games stands for your quality, for your work ethic, for what you give to the club."
March joined Brighton in 2011
March joined Brighton from Sussex non-league club Lewes in 2011 and progressed with the club all the way to the Premier League and the Europa League.
He made his first team debut in the Championship in 2013 against Derby County and his first start was later that season in an FA Cup third round tie at Reading.
March netted his first senior goal in the next round of the FA Cup against Port Vale.
Brighton were promoted to the Premier League in 2017 and March, under then manager Chris Hughton, made his top flight debut in August 2017 as he started against Manchester City.
He totalled 128 appearances for Albion under Chris Hughton and then 80 under Graham Potter.
Perhaps the best spell of his career though was with former boss Roberto De Zerbi. The Italian immediately took to March and lit a fire under the former Lewes the winger. “He should be playing Champions League football,” said De Zerbi soon after his arrival.
March responded and scored 11 goals, with 10 assists in 40 outings under De Zerbi. He helped Brighton to their highest ever Premier League finish of sixth and to a Wembley FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United. The Seagulls were knocked out penalties, with March missing the vital spot kick.
Brighton also qualified for the Europa League that season for the first time in their history.
De Zerbi: I dream of Mitoma and March
March and Kaoru Mitoma were the main men on the flanks and provided a cutting edge and a supply line for the likes of Danny Welbeck and Joao Pedro.
“When I dream of my XI, I see March on one wing and Mitoma on the other,” De Zerbi added.
But then came the nightmare injuries. His 2023/24 campaign was ended in October when he suffered a serious ACL knee issue at Manchester City.
A long recovery saw him return in December 2024 but has featured little since. This term he completed 38 minutes in the Premier League.
The knee injuries robbed March of his peak years and so far Brighton have struggled to find a consistent replacement. Yankuba Minteh, a £30m signing from Newcastle, blows hot and cold. The £25m Brajan Gruda is yet to convince, while Facundo Buonanotte returns this summer after two terrible loans at Chelsea and Leeds.
Brighton will miss him
Brighton will miss him and the fans will miss him too. Homegrown players are rare at the elite level and in a truly global business, they offer inspiration and identity.
March is unlikely to be short of offers and Newcastle, Everton, Fulham and Nottingham Forest have already been credited with interest in a free transfer move.
His parting letter was as classy as some of his performances on the pitch: “It’s hard to find the words to say goodbye to a club that’s been my home for so long.
“From arriving from Lewes as a young lad with big dreams to walking out at the Amex in the Premier League and in Europe, it’s been everything I could have hoped for and more.
“As the club grew, I was lucky enough to grow with it. It hasn’t always been straightforward. Coming back from two ACL injuries was the toughest challenge I’ve faced, but with the support of the club, my teammates and you, the fans, I kept going.
“Pulling the shirt on again meant everything to me.”
Well played Solly, Solly March and good luck with what comes next.
Continue Reading