City
will make three changes to the team that drew against Crystal Palace last Tuesday. Scott
Young returns to the heart of the defence in place of Gethin Jones. Josh Low comes back in
on the right wing to replace Kevin Evans and Paul Brayson replaces Kurt Nogan upfront.
The line up then is. Walton, Gabbidon, Greene, Young, McCulloch, Low,
Hill, Bonner, Legg, Nugent, Brayson. Subs from Hallworth, Earnshaw, Brazier, Jones,
Thomas, Sheridan, Evans, Eckhardt, Bowen and Nogan.
Preview from This is Brighton.
The History
Albion and Cardiff have clashed 44 times in the League. The Seagulls just hold the edge
with 17 wins, 16 defeats and 11 draws, but Albion have triumphed in only one of the last
ten meetings.
Ninian Park has not been a very happy hunting ground. The last of Albion's six victories
in 22 visits was 16 years ago today, Frank Worthington, Terry Connor, Steve Penney and
Gary Howlett scoring in a 4-2 success.
The Seagulls have not managed a goal in their last four trips to Wales, although two of
those were 0-0 draws.
Kurt Nogan, now with Cardiff, was Albion's penultimate scorer at Ninian Park. He hit the
Seagulls' first goal and Stuart Munday the second in a 2-2 draw in August 1993.
Nogan netted twice against his home city club at the Goldstone the following season, when
Albion were beaten 5-3.
The men to watch
Charlie Oatway will be relishing his return to Ninian Park alongside fellow former
Bluebird Richard Carpenter. The Welshmen were the first League club for Albion's tigerish
midfielder.
He joined them in August 1994 on a free transfer from Yeading, making 40 appearances in
all competitions before moving to Torquay 16 months later. Oatway will skipper the
Seagulls again tomorrow if Paul Rogers is not in the starting line-up.
Danny Hill will need to be watched by Oatway and Carpenter in the middle of midfield. The
gifted former England under 21 international makes Cardiff tick.
Londoner Hill made ten apearances in the Premier League for Spurs in the early 1990's. The
25-year-old had loan spells with Birmingham, Watford and Cardiff before rejoining the
Welshmen on a free transfer from Oxford in November 1998.
Tickets
Albion fans will be on the uncovered Grange End terrace, priced £10 adults and £6 under
16's or OAP's.
Gould and me, by Micky Adams
by Andy Naylor
Mickey Adams is looking forward to locking horns at Ninian Park with the man who gave him
his big break as a player. Adams is a good friend of former Welsh boss Bobby Gould. He was
the first to ring Gould up and wish him well when he was officially appointed Cardiff
manager in the Sam Hamman takeover.
"He signed me for Coventry from Gillingham for 85 grand, which took me from the
Fourth Division to the First," Adams revealed.
"I had an interesting time with him. He is larger than life and a great coach. I
found him a bit eccentric at times, but I have got a lot of time and respect for
him."
Adams' assistant Alan Cork also knows Gould very well. Cork was a Wimbledon player when
Gould steered the Dons to their remarkable FA Cup triumph in 1988.
Gould has already been busy in the transfer market. Kevin Evans, Gethian Jones and Scott
McCulloch all made their full debuts in Tuesday's goalless stalemate against Crystal
Palace, when Cardiff were unlucky not to turn around a 2-1 deficit from the first leg in
the Worthington Cup.
Evans, a 19-year-old Leeds reserve signed on a one year contract, played on the right side
of midfield even though he is really a centre half.
Jones is an 18-year-old central defender snapped up from League of Wales outfit Carmarthen
Town, while leftback McCulloch has arrived from Dundee United for £100,000 on a
three-year contract.
Gould is still trying to strengthen the squad further, which is not good news for former
Albion goalkeeper Mark Walton or striker Kurt Nogan.
Nogan was given his first start of the season at Selhurst Park, but he was replaced in the
second half by Zambian-born teenager Robert Earnshaw. Rightback Daniel Gabbidan, on loan
from West Brom, was among those helping Walton to his first clean sheet of the campaign.
Cardiff are unbeaten in the League, but they have drawn four in a row since winning at
Exeter on the opening day. They were held to ten home draws in the League last season,
which contributed to relegation from the Second Division.
