Brighton striker is relishing derby clash against Crystal Palace… and even more so as he used to play for Eagles
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TONIGHT’S match at the Amex will be my first derby in Brighton colours, though I played in a few for Palace.
I’ve experienced the incredible passion, the derby atmosphere, plus the highs and lows which come with the extra expectation on the result when the teams play each other.
However, rewind to when I joined Brighton for my first spell at the club and I knew hardly anything about the rivalry between the two teams.
You could say it’s one of the more enigmatic derbies in English football for people not immersed in the history of the two clubs.
In fact, I think that also applies to the millions around the world who follow the Premier League so intently.
Even fans point to different incidents over the history of the fixture as “the moment” when this clash became the huge contest it is today.
I have seen the rivalry through the eyes of both sets of fans, so I know what to expect when the teams walk out on to the pitch this evening.
The energy around the stadium will be electric and it fires these games up to a whole other level.
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Whether it’s home or away fans, the noise and emotion floods off the stands and increases your adrenaline — players feed off this sort of atmosphere.
The nature of these games has changed significantly in the past 20 years or so, with fewer players from the clubs’ surrounding areas coming through to play in the first teams.
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The only two current players that represent their localities are Wilfried Zaha and Lewis Dunk.
And even though at Brighton we have guys from all over the world — including Australia, Colombia, Spain, France and Holland — in our squad I guarantee you they will know all about the rivalry by the end of the night.
You still meet fans around the city who remind you just how crucial it is to win this game more so than others.
But social media has changed the nature of that interaction as well and I’ve been getting messages from both sides in the last few days.
I’ve always tried to remain respectful to clubs I’ve been lucky enough to represent.
I have enjoyed my time at Brighton and Crystal Palace and feel privileged to have achieved success with both.
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But derby games no matter where have plenty of pitfalls — think of the times you’ve seen a bad challenge result in a sending off because a player gets swept away in the emotion of the tie.
Sometimes it’s useful to remind yourself that the rivalry is and always will be owned by the fans of each club.
And while we soak it up and sometimes revel in it on the pitch we still have to be professional and find a balance between the emotion and doing our job for the team.
If you can do that as a group then you have a great chance of coming away with a result and a great night for your supporters.