Brighton and Hove Albion owe a lot to big EFL decision involving Chris Hughton: View | OneFootball

Brighton have become a stable Premier League club in the last several years, earning a strong reputation as a well-run side.

Owner Tony Bloom has taken the Sussex outfit from League One to the Premier League in his time in charge.

Since their 2017 promotion, the Seagulls have finished 15th, 17th, 15th, 16th, ninth and sixth.

Their progress under Graham Potter and then Roberto de Zerbi has been quite impressive, and they even posted a Premier League record profit of £122.8 million for last year’s accounts.

Not only is the club achieving great results on the pitch, but it is also achieving even better ones off it.

Brighton’s rise to the Premier League

However, it was not a smooth promotion process for Brighton, who reached the play-offs three times before eventually coming second in 2017.

Gus Poyet oversaw a fourth place finish before being dismissed in 2013, having missed out on promotion through a semi-final defeat to Crystal Palace.

Chris Hughton took them to a play-off twice more, as well as a tumultuous 20th place finish, before eventually guiding the team to a top flight return.

It had been 34 years since they were last in the first division of English football, and it was set to be an uphill battle to remain there, with many expecting them to go straight back down.

But Hughton’s experience at that level proved crucial, as he oversaw a much better than predicted first year in the Premier League.

The gap to the relegation zone was seven points, as Brighton reached the magical 40-point mark to ensure their safety with games to spare.

Hughton only got to oversee one more year at the Amex before being dismissed by Bloom, but he still deserves a lot of credit for his role in establishing the club at that level.

Pascal Groß and Lewis Dunk were part of that side that earned a 15th place finish, and they are now both crucial parts of de Zerbi’s squad too.

The 65-year-old gave both a chance in the top flight, which the Italian coach can be grateful for even now.

The time to change manager was executed perfectly by Brighton, opting for a more progressive style of play once established among the elite clubs.

But Hughton still deserves to be remembered fondly by supporters for laying that groundwork, and setting the bar high for what can be achieved by the club.

It took Potter a couple of years for an uptick in results to arrive with his more progressive tactics, but it was time he could be afforded as this was now a team that knew what it took to stay in the Premier League.

This was a quality instilled by the former Ireland international.

Hughton has struggled to replicate that success since departing Brighton, perhaps an indication that his methods aren’t quite as effective as they once were.

However, his importance to Brighton cannot be overstated regardless.

Without his impressive five-year stint with the Seagulls, the club may never have reached the same heights as it has so far in the Premier League, including a first ever qualification for European competition.