Stockdale hits out at Brighton bottlers jibes

“WHO is bottling it now?” That was the defiant message of Brighton goalkeeper David Stockdale as he hit out at those who’d predicted it would be the Seagulls who slipped up in the race for the Championship title.

While he conceded their job is not complete yet, slip-ups from Newcastle United over the Easter period have resulted in Chris Hughton’s side sitting top of the table, seven points clear with three to play.

Just one more win would guarantee they went up as champions having already confirmed their promotion to the Premier League.

Stockdale, 31, has not held back in his thoughts about the title race, slamming doubters of Brighton and saying they only helped motivate them.

He said: “Even if they (Huddersfield) had won we would still have been going for the title. I said in the huddle before ‘forget about promotion, let’s win the title’.

“I give a team talk before every game.

“‘Our dream is to be champions so let’s make it happen.

“To come back after the international break when people were doubting us, some saying we were going to bottle it again, I just want to say to them ‘Yo are welcome’. That just spurred us on. Bottlers? Who is bottling it now. Not us, an incredible group of players, staff, from the chairman down.

“Don’t write us off, we still have a job to do. Let’s make it seven or eight on the spin. We can reach a hundred (points) now.

“There are boundaries which will put a lot of smiles on people’s faces for a lot of months before we go into the Premier League and a different type of fight.”

Rafa Benitez had tried to put pressure on the Seagulls at the turn of the year as Brighton overtook the Magpies at the top.

At the time he said: “Now every team who will play against Brighton will see it as an opportunity to do something important and there will be more pressure on them.”

It was Huddersfield boss David Wagner who made the strongest of suggestions the south coast side might bottle it, however.

He said in March: “Brighton have struggled in the past very often at the end of the season. Newcastle I am totally sure will (get promoted) but for Brighton we will see.”

Yet, despite Newcastle’s indifferent form, Huddersfield’s draw after conceding late to Derby on Monday eased the pressure slightly on Benitez’s side, while also booking the Seagulls’ ticket back to the top flight.