Holloway meets Hughton

Ian Holloway sits down with Brighton boss Chris Hughton to discuss the season ahead, transfer plans, and facing former side Newcastle in front of the Sky cameras…

Having lost in the Sky Bet Championship play-off semi-finals last year, the Seagulls have made a positive start to the new league season with two wins and two draws from four matches.

In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports’ Ian Holloway for EFL title sponsor Sky Bet ahead of Saturday’s trip to his old employers, Hughton reflects on getting over the disappointment of last term, “doing his best” on Tyneside and his excitement for the future…

What sort of summer did you have after the end to last season?

“It was a good summer. It was very difficult at the end of last season but what helped me was the performance in the second leg against Sheffield Wednesday at home where the supporters thoroughly appreciated what the team had given them that season.

“The first leg was difficult to take; four injuries in one game – something I have never experienced before – and a two-goal deficit. We knew it would have to be a good performance at home and the onus was on us. We couldn’t have started any better and we were so good on the day.

“It wasn’t such a bad summer. The way we finished in that last game made me feel very proud of the team.”

The three teams competing for automatic promotion were close and so consistent, it almost seemed unfair you didn’t get anything out of it. Did you feel that at all?

“We set a target at the start of the season to get in a position to get promoted. We set a points target, where it has worked before, the amount of wins, and we met all of the targets apart from one. The points tally we achieved has got teams automatic promotion most years.

“It was an unusual year, which was tougher to take, but we were still in there at the end. I thought maybe it caught up with us a bit and, in a period of time where you want things to go for you, we had too many things in the …

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