Brighton goalkeeper David Stockdale wasn’t mincing his words in an interview with the local press yesterday, suggesting it is in fact Newcastle who are ‘bottling it’, not Brighton.
The Seagulls had been branded ‘bottlers’ over recent years, losing in the Championship play-offs in three of the last four seasons. Hughton’s men sealed automatic promotion to the Premier League on Monday night however, putting to bed their mid season doubters after showing no signs of wobbling with seven wins from their last eight games.
In an interview yesterday, David Stockdale spoke out about their achievement and with that, appears to rub salt in the wounds of Newcastle United and those who doubted his team:
“It just spurs us on being called bottlers, who’s bottling it now? Not us, we’re an incredible group of players, incredible staff, and are incredible from the chairman down, so don’t write us off.
“We said in the huddle before the game, forget about promotion, let’s win the title.
“I said it before QPR as well, our dream is to be champions so let’s make it happen.
“We came back after an international break when people were doubting us and saying we were going to bottle it again, so to them ‘you’re welcome’.”
Such ruthless comments are hard to take given Brighton have not only sealed promotion already but look set to win the Championship title at our expense. It is also hard to disagree with Stockdale, as Brighton have been solid as a rock in recent weeks while we have been anything but.
Brighton have showed admirable character, team spirit and togetherness this season and not only fully deserve promotion but look like being worthy title winners too.
Let’s just hope we don’t bottle it to the extent that we’re preparing for the play off’s come May instead of planning for the Premier League!
It hasn’t took Newcastle several attempts to get out the championship has it, both times at the first time of asking, congrats to Brighton but Newcastle are twice the size and always will be. FACT
Rocco(Quote)
I believe David Stockdale mentioned “it just spurs us on being called bottlers, who’s bottling it now? ” because of what David Wagner (Huddersfield Manager) said about Brighton bottling it last season. I very much doubt this has any reference to how Newcastle are performing at the moment.
Timo(Quote)
Do your homework Olly, those quotes are made in direct response to comments David Wagner made some 3 or 4 weeks back about Brighton being ‘bottlers’! No-one is knocking NUFC.
Nath(Quote)