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What a difference one game and three points can make.

There has been very little to get excited about during the current turgid season now in its final throes – with the last seven game in particular incredibly frustrating and hard to take.




Collecting a meagre three points from three draws, despite the fact that in four of those games we have contrived to throw away leads and valuable points with only minutes on the clock remaining. Sadly in this game it’s not what might have been that matters, it’s what you actually end up with that counts!

The points on the board and the league table don’t lie – and that table was looking decidedly bleak pre kick-off on Sunday.

Like many I suspect, I was ready to write off the season here and now. The upcoming fixtures with Nottingham Forest and Ipswich held very little appeal for me. But then we only went and did it. Beat the Mancs on their own patch.

Picking up three points in a stunning result that elevated us not only above our opponents on the day – but saw us leapfrog the Spuds from down the road. Suddenly I’m thinking can we keep that momentum going – take all the points from Forest – who have had a superb season but are showing signs of faltering on the run-in.

Then go to Portman Road for the last game of the season and do what most other teams have done this season - beat them. Suddenly we’d be finishing the campaign on 46 points and, as a consequence, enjoying a far more respectable mid-table position which was beyond our dreams not so very long ago.

Of course that wouldn’t make everything okay. Far from it. No-one is suggesting that. But it would help to strengthen Graham Potter’s position ahead of what we all know will be a crucial summer transfer window as the head coach begins his team rebuilding.




If only it was left to Potter and his Head of Recruitment Kyle Macaulay to bring in the players they want. But we all know it’s not that simple. Our owner would never be able to keep his fingers out of the pie. Already through his chosen mouthpiece sites he’s announcing to everyone we’re skint.

With a projected loss next season of between £80m-£90m, that’s on top of another projected loss this season of £75m/£80m – depending on our final league position. There’s nothing for Potter to spend, we’re told, until we can ship out a few of our high earners and bring in money through transfer sales.

Apparently Sullivan did make a promise to Potter of ’significant backing’ during tough contract negotiations. A promise Potter would expect to be honoured. But it’s not a given that the trust and relationship Potter had with the Brighton chairman Tony Bloom is replicated with Sullivan.

From past experience, who believes a word of what our chairman says? We all suspect the perennial ‘we tried’ excuses are already being dusted down for public consumption.

Graham Potter has got a tough job on his hands. He knows that and we know that, too. It's not made any easier by a chairman more slippery than a proverbial eel.

But if Potter and the team can finish on a high – build on that Old Trafford victory with two more to come, that has to be a good for the Head Coach’s own prestige and for the team going forward.

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