BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION V WEST HAM UNITED
npower CHAMPIONSHIP
MONDAY 24 OCTOBER 2011
KICK-OFF: 7.45PM
FULL AUDIO AND TEXT COMMENTARY - WEST HAM TV
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Introduction
• West Ham United make a second consecutive trip to the south coast to take on Brighton & Hove Albion, having gone down to a 1-0 defeat at npower Championship leaders Southampton last Tuesday evening. The Hammers will be keen to return to winning ways on their travels, having drawn two and lost one of their previous three away games after starting the season with three straight victories.
• The Hammers begun the weekend in second place on 21 points from 12 matches, five points behind leaders Southampton. However, such is the close nature of the table that West Ham are just three points ahead of 12th placed Hull City. However, a victory of any margin at the American Express Community Stadium should keep Sam Allardyce's side in second place, such is the superiority of their goal difference over third-placed Middlesbrough and fourth-placed Derby County.
• Brighton & Hove Albion start the weekend in tenth place, having collected 19 points from 12 matches. The Seagulls have drawn their previous two matches at home to Hull City and at Millwall and have failed to win any of their previous six league games - seven in all competitions.
• West Ham United will be appearing in a live televised match for the fourth time this season. Previously, the Hammers have won at Nottingham Forest and drawn with Leeds United and lost to Cardiff City at the Boleyn Ground in front of the cameras.
• Both teams are new to the npower Championship this campaign. The Hammers were relegated from the Premier League while Brighton & Hove Albion romped to the League One title.
• Monday's visit to the American Express Community Stadium will mark West Ham United's first trip to the new 22,374-capacity ground, which opened with the visit of Tottenham Hotspur on 30 July 2011.
• West Ham United's biggest victory at Brighton & Hove Albion was the 2-1 Division Two success achieved on 28 October 1978. Bryan 'Pop' Robson scored both goals in front of a 32,634-strong crowd at the Goldstone Ground. Peter Sayer netted the Seagulls' goal.
• Brighton & Hove Albion's biggest home victory over West Ham United came in the shape of a 3-0 Division Two success at the Goldstone Ground on 16 September 1989. Kevin Bremner, Robert Codner and Garry Nelson scored within the opening 18 minutes in front of a 12,689-strong crowd.
• Only Kevin Nolan has started every league game for West Ham this season. He also played in the Carling Cup first round.
• Brighton & Hove Albion strikers Ashley Barnes (seven) and Craig Mackail-Smith (six) have shared 13 goals between them this season, including ten in the npower Championship. West Ham United's Sam Baldock has eight in all competitions, including six for MK Dons.
Team news
West Ham United
• Joey O'Brien and Mark Noble will be eager to return to the starting XI after impressing as substitutes at Southampton on Tuesday evening.
• It remains to be seen if Carlton Cole will be fit after a minor ligament issue that saw him miss the club's last two matches.
• Matt Taylor (calf) and James Tomkins (groin) are doubtful. Taylor was forced off at Southampton on Tuesday evening, while Tomkins did not feature after being hurt in the victory over Blackpool on Saturday. Henri Lansbury is definitely out for several weeks with a knee injury.
• Robert Green has been undergoing intensive treatment, including a midweek trip to a cryogenic chamber.
• Guy Demel is still being treated for a hamstring injury that has delayed his debut.
• Gary O'Neil (ankle) is out with long-term ankle injury.
• Pablo Barrera and Jordan Spence are on season-long loans at Real Zaragoza and Bristol City respectively. Ahmed Abdulla and Cristian Montano (Swindon Town), Robert Hall (Oxford United), Herita Ilunga (Doncaster Rovers), Olly Lee (Dagenham & Redbridge), Callum McNaughton (AFC Wimbledon), Frank Nouble (Gillingham), Marek Stech (Yeovil Town) and Dominic Vose (Braintree) are all out on temporary loans.
Brighton & Hove Albion
• Chile international defender Gonzalo Jara has joined the Seagulls on loan from West Bromwich Albion until 2 January 2012.
• Winger Will Buckley has been nursing a hamstring injury suffered in the Carling Cup defeat by Liverpool on 21 September.
• Long-term absentees Adam El-Abd (foot) and Tommy Elphick (Achilles) have not featured this season.
• Hungary centre-back Zoltan Liptak has been handed a trial by the club, but is unlikely to feature on Monday evening.
Last time out
Tuesday 18 October 2011
npower Championship
Southampton 1-0 West Ham United
West Ham United: Almunia, Faye, Faubert, Reid, McCartney, Diop (Noble 66), Taylor (Piquionne 20), Lansbury, Nolan , Baldock , Carew (O'Brien 78)
Subs not used: Boffin, Collison
Tuesday 18 October 2011
npower Championship
Millwall 1-1 Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion: Ankergren, Painter, Calderon, Dunk , Greer, Harley (LuaLua 86), Bridcutt, Noone, Sparrow, Hoskins (Barnes 77), Mackail-Smith
Subs not used: Brezovan, Vincelot, Dicker
Goal: Noone 61
Previous meetings
• The most recent competitive meeting between the sides saw West Ham United secure a 3-0 FA Cup third-round victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at the Boleyn Ground on 6 January 2007.
West Ham United: Carroll, Dailly, A.Ferdinand (Spector 46), Gabbidon, McCartney, Benayoun, Mullins, Noble, Boa Morte (Newton 73), Cole (Zamora, 68), Tevez
Subs not used: Green, Sheringham
Brighton & Hove Albion: Henderson, O'Cearuill, Lynch, Butters, Mayo , Fraser (Hart, 51), El-Abd, Hammond, Frutos (Rents 67), Revell (Gatting, 84), Robinson
Subs not used: Kuipers, Carpenter
Last six meetings
6 January 2007 - West Ham United 3-0 Brighton & Hove Albion (FA Cup third round)
23 April 2005 - Brighton & Hove Albion 2-2 West Ham United (Championship)
13 November 2004 - West Ham United 0-1 Brighton & Hove Albion (Championship)
10 April 1991 - Brighton & Hove Albion 1-0 West Ham United (Division Two)
17 November 1990 - West Ham United 2-1 Brighton & Hove Albion (Division Two)
10 February 1990 - West Ham United 3-1 Brighton & Hove Albion (Division Two)
Overall record v Brighton & Hove Albion (all competitions) W 8 D 5 L 5
Ten-year records
West Ham United
2010/11 Premier League 20th (relegated to Championship)
2009/10 Premier League 17th
2008/09 Premier League 9th
2007/08 Premier League 10th
2006/07 Premier League 15th
2005/06 Premier League 9th
2004/05 Championship 6th (promoted to Premier League via Play-Offs)
2003/04 Championship 4th
2002/03 Premier League 18th (relegated to Championship)
2001/02 Premier League 7th
Brighton & Hove Albion
2010/11 League One 1st (promoted to Championship)
2009/10 League One 13th
2008/09 League One 16th
2007/08 League One 7th
2006/07 League One 18th
2005/06 Championship 24th (relegated to League One)
2004/05 Championship 20th
2003/04 League One 4th (promoted to Championship via Play-Offs)
2002/03 Championship 23rd (relegated to League One)
2001/02 League One 1st (promoted to Championship)
Referee
• Monday evening's referee will be Kevin Friend.
• A member of the Select Group of Premier League officials, Friend has taken control of five top-flight fixtures so far in 2011/12, as well as the npower Championship fixture between Doncaster Rovers and Leeds United on Friday 14 October.
• Friend started refereeing at the age of 13.
• He began officiating in the Leicestershire Senior League and Midland Football Alliance before being promoted to the National List of Assistant Referees in 2000 and the National List of Referees in 2003.
• The 40-year-old was promoted to the Select Group ahead of the 2009/10 season and took charge of his first Premier League fixture on 20 September 2009, with Wolverhampton Wanderers beating Fulham 2-1.
• The official has refereed West Ham United just once previously in a competitive fixture - the goalless Premier League draw with Blackpool at the Boleyn Ground on 13 November 2010. Friend was also in charge for the SBOBET Cup victory over Spanish side Deportivo La Coruna on 7 August 2010.
• Friend has taken charge of five Brighton & Hove Albion fixtures, the most recent being the Seagulls' 1-0 home League One defeat by Millwall on 30 January 2010.
• Monday's assistant referees will be Simon Barrow and Nick Hobbis, while the fourth official will be Gavin Ward.
Us and them
• Mark Noble scored his first senior goal in West Ham United's 3-0 FA Cup third-round win over Brighton & Hove Albion at the Boleyn Ground on 6 January 2007.
• John Carew scored Stoke City's opening goal in their 3-0 FA Cup fifth-round victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at the Britannia Stadium on 19 February 2011.
• Sam Baldock was a second-half substitute in the Dons' 1-0 League One victory over Brighton & Hove Albion on 26 February 2011. Baldock appeared against the Seagulls five times during his time with the Dons.
• Joey O'Brien appeared for Sheffield Wednesday in the Owls' 2-0 League One defeat at Brighton & Hove Albion on 9 April 2011. The match was the last of O'Brien's four during a loan spell at Hillsborough.
• On-loan Arsenal midfielder Henri Lansbury was linked with a move to Brighton & Hove Albion in June 2011.
• Among the other players to have played for both clubs are Sam Jennings, Paul Kitson, Bertie Lutton, Herbert Lyon, T.McAteer, George Parris, John Payne, Walter Pollard, Mike Small and Sam Small.
Up next
• West Ham United will host Leicester City at the Boleyn Ground, while Brighton & Hove Albion also travel to Birmingham City for the same 3pm kick-off on Saturday 29 October.
General information
• All standard tickets for this fixture have SOLD OUT. For details of how to book coach travel, click here.
• To get to the American Express Community Stadium, head out of London on the A13 and then take the clockwise M25, go over the A282 Dartford Crossing and continue around to Junction 7 and take the southbound M23. At the end of the M23, continue onto the A23, heading towards Brighton. At the roundabout which is the junction with the A27, where away fans are encouraged to use the Park and Ride scheme in operation from Mill Road. Mill Road is located next to a BP garage, which you will see over on your right at the top of the slip road off the A23. Alternative Park and Ride schemes are also in place at Brighton Racecourse and Mithras House at Brighton University. The Park and Ride is open from 5.30pm, with the last buses returning from the stadium 90 minutes after the end of the game. Supporters can pay on the bus.
• For supporters travelling by train, the nearest railway station is Falmer, which is situated right by the stadium. To reach Falmer, take the train from London Victoria to either Brighton or Lewes and change to services to Falmer. The journey should take around one hour and 20 minutes. For timetable details, visit www.southernrailway.com
• Monday's weather forecast is for light rain, with a maximum daytime temperature of 16C (61F).