The 2015–16 season is Brighton & Hove Albion 114th year in existence and fifth consecutive season in the Championship. Along with competing in the Championship, the club will also participate in the FA Cup and League Cup. The season covers the period from 1 July 2015 to 30 June 2016.
Brighton enjoyed a much improved season after narrowly avoiding relegation the season prior, finishing an impressive 3rd place in the Championship table below Middlesbrough only on an inferior goal difference of two goals. Brighton only lost five games throughout the entire season, a feat matched by champions Burnley who only finished with four more points than Brighton.
The season began in spectacular fashion for Brighton, where they embarked on a 21-game unbeaten run that saw them occupy an automatic promotion place for much of the first half of the season. However, they would then lose four out of their five following games, dropping out of the top two and only sporadically occupying second place throughout the season, fighting a fierce contest with promotion rivals Hull City, Derby County, Middlesbrough and Burnley. After this mid-season dip in form, Brighton would only lose one more game throughout the rest of the season, and went into the final game of the Championship season away at second-placed Middlesbrough level on points with them but behind them on goal difference, knowing only a win would secure automatic promotion. The two teams drew 1–1, and Brighton finished the season in a play-off position instead.
A third play-off campaign for the Seagulls in four seasons ensued, however it would again end in defeat at the semi-final stage for a third time, as Brighton lost 3–1 on aggregate over two legs against Sheffield Wednesday.
Squad
Development squad and youth team
Out on loan
Transfers
Transfers in Date from Position Nationality Name From Fee 1 July 2015 CF Tomer Hemed Almería £1,000,000 1 July 2015 RB Liam Rosenior Hull City Free transfer 1 July 2015 LW Joe Ward Chelmsford City Undisclosed 2 July 2015 CF Daniel Akindayini Tottenham Hotspur Free transfer 2 July 2015 LB Gaëtan Bong Wigan Athletic Free transfer 6 July 2015 GK Niki Mäenpää VVV-Venlo Free transfer 22 July 2015 CF Vahid Hambo Inter Turku Undisclosed 23 July 2015 CF Jack Harper Real Madrid Undisclosed 3 August 2015 CF Bobby Zamora Queens Park Rangers Free transfer 12 August 2015 CB Uwe Hünemeier SC Paderborn £1,750,000 14 August 2015 LW Jamie Murphy Sheffield United £1,500,000 19 August 2015 RB Connor Goldson Shrewsbury Town Undisclosed 29 August 2015 LW Elvis Manu Feyenoord £1,500,000 2 January 2016 AM Richie Towell Dundalk Undisclosed 11 January 2016 RW Anthony Knockaert Standard Liège Undisclosed 27 January 2016 RW Henrik Bjørdal Aalesund Undisclosed 1 February 2016 CF Jonah Ayunga Dorchester Town Undisclosed 1 February 2016 CF Jiří Skalák Mladá Boleslav Undisclosed Total outgoing: £5,750,000
Transfers out Date from Position Nationality Name To Fee 1 July 2015 CM Bradley Barry Swindon Town Free transfer 1 July 2015 AM George Cole Free Agent Released 1 July 2015 CF Shamir Fenelon Crawley Town Free transfer 1 July 2015 LW Paddy McCourt Luton Town Free transfer 1 July 2015 CF Jimmy Muitt Free Agent Released 1 July 2015 CB Daniel Pappoe Free Agent Released 1 July 2015 CF Cameron Wiltshire Free Agent Released 1 August 2015 CF Craig Mackail-Smith Luton Town Free transfer 19 January 2016 RM Jeffrey Monakana FC Voluntari Free transfer
Loans in Date from Position Nationality Name From Date until 26 November 2015 RW Rajiv van La Parra Wolverhampton Wanderers 2 January 2016 26 November 2015 CF James Wilson Manchester United End of season 2 January 2016 CB Liam Ridgewell Portland Timbers 13 February 2016 25 January 2016 CM Steve Sidwell Stoke City End of season
Loans out Date from Position Nationality Name To Date until 21 July 2015 GK Christian Walton Bury 1 September 2015 4 August 2015 RM Jeffrey Monakana Bristol Rovers 1 September 2015 19 August 2015 CB Tom Dallison Braintree Town 19 September 2015 28 August 2015 MF Charlie Harris Aldershot Town 26 September 2015 28 August 2015 CB Glen Rea Southend United 2 January 2016 1 September 2015 CF Chris O'Grady Nottingham Forest End of season 22 September 2015 CM Jake Forster-Caskey Milton Keynes Dons 24 October 2015 24 September 2015 CF Robin Deen Lewes 22 October 2015 2 October 2015 LB Adam Chicksen Leyton Orient 6 November 2015 19 November 2015 GK Christian Walton Plymouth Argyle 3 January 2016 8 January 2016 CM Jake Forster-Caskey Milton Keynes Dons End of season 27 January 2016 LB Adam Chicksen Gillingham 23 February 2016 1 February 2016 DM Rohan Ince Fulham End of season 1 February 2016 LW Elvis Manu Huddersfield Town 2 May 2016
Pre-season Friendlies On 5 May 2015, Brighton & Hove Albion announced four pre-season friendlies, Away to Lewes on 18 July 2015, Away to Crawley Town on 22 July 2015, Away to Aberdeen on 26 July 2015 and Away to Gillingham on 29 July 2015. On 25 May 2015, Brighton & Hove Albion announced they will face 2015 Europa League finalists Sevilla at home on 2 August 2015. On 23 June 2015, Brighton & Hove albion announced Swiss opposition for 11 July 2015.
Competitions
Championship
League table
Results summary
Results round by round
Matches On 17 June 2015, the fixtures for the forthcoming season were announced.
Play-Offs
FA Cup Brighton & Hove Albion entered the FA Cup in the third round, which was drawn on 7 December 2015. Brighton were drawn away against Hull City.
League Cup On 16 June 2015, the first round draw was made, Brighton & Hove Albion were drawn away against Southend United. In the second round, Brighton were drawn away to Walsall.
Statistics
Goalscorers
RankNo.Pos.NameChampionshipFA CupLeague CupTotal110FWTomer Hemed170017225FWBobby Zamora70076MFDale Stephens7007415MFJamie Murphy6006521FWJames Wilson500527MFAnthony Knockaert500579FWSam Baldock400430MFKazenga LuaLua3014920MFSolly March30035DFLewis Dunk3003117MFBeram Kayal200227MFRajiv van La Parra200238MFJiri Skalak200217DFConnor Goldson20021536MFSteve Sidwell10012DFBruno100118MFJake Forster-Caskey0011Own goals2002Total720274
Disciplinary record
No. Pos. Name Championship FA Cup League Cup Total6MFDale Stephens10100001017MFBeram Kayal900000905DFLewis Dunk7210109230MFKazenga LuaLua700000702DFBruno500000503DFGordon Greer5000005013GKDavid Stockdale5000005020MFSolly March4000004012DFGaëtan Bong3000104010FWTomer Hemed3000003023DFLiam Rosenior3000003014DFIñigo Calderón2010003017DFConnor Goldson201000309FWSam Baldock2000002025FWBobby Zamora2000002027MFAnthony Knockaert2000002038MFJiri Skalak200000204DFUwe Hünemeier200000208MFAndrew Crofts1000001033DFLiam Ridgewell1000001015MFJamie Murphy0100000118MFJake Forster-Caskey0000101024MFRohan Ince00001010Totals7743040844
References