SEAGULPING EIGHT CANS OF LAGER ON THE WILDER SIDE OF LIFE IN BRIGHTON
In his playing days on south coast, Chris had unusual routine on way home
CHRIS WILDER has fond memories of playing for Brighton – and sinking eight cans of Stella on the train home after games.
The Sheffield United boss enjoyed a 13-match stint with the Seagulls, then in the fourth tier, under Micky Adams during the 1999-2000 season.
But he remained based in the Steel City and spent part of the week training in Yorkshire before heading south to play.
Wilder, whose Blades host Brighton in the FA Cup fourth round today, recalled: “I used to train at Barnsley with Dave Bassett on a Monday and Tuesday.
“I’d then head down to my old Sheffield United teammate Bob Booker’s house in London on a Wednesday night and travel to Brighton to train for two days before playing on Saturday.
“After home games I’d get a lift to the little train station outside the Withdean, the athletics stadium, and there was an off-licence where I’d buy eight cans of Stella.
“By the time I got home, I was wobbling through Sheffield station!
“I was only there for six months but it was brilliant and I had the time of my life.”
The Seagulls had narrowly survived relegation from the Football League in 1997.
Yet Wilder cites their return to Brighton that season – after the horror of ground-sharing with Gillingham – as a turning point in their history.
He said: “It was just a matter of getting back to Brighton and winning some games of football. The first part of the season was unbelievable and the second half wasn’t so good.
“But the year after they got promoted,
Bobby
Zamora scored the goals, and the journey went from there
– yet Micky Adams got it rolling.
“It’s 25 years since I was there and seems a long time ago but it really isn’t.
“There will be a lot of Brighton fans who remember those Withdean days and remember the players who were there.”
Under the ownership of Tony Bloom, the Seagulls are now seen as one of the most progressive clubs in European football.
It is a far cry from Wilder’s time there and the United manager said: “Tony deserves an incredible amount of credit and Brighton’s progression doesn’t seem to be stopping at any particular moment.”
United have signed goalkeeper Ivo Grbic from Atletico Madrid and highlyrated defender Sam Curtis from Irish outfit St Patrick’s Athletic.
They face relegation rivals Crystal Palace away on Tuesday night in a crucial Premier League game – but Wilder will field a strong side against the Seagulls today.
He added: “We need to find the balance between Saturday and Tuesday with team selection.
“But there won’t be wholesale changes against Brighton because we want to win the game.”