With rumours continuing to swirl that Graham Potter could be in line for a controversial return as Brighton head coach, we decided to gauge the mood of the Albion fanbase through the scientific means of a Twitter poll.
It was a simple question. Potter back to Brighton. Yes or no? Sitting on the fence was not an option. And 69.9 percent of Seagulls supporters said they do not want Glow Up Graham to succeed Roberto De Zerbi in the dugout with 30.1 percent in favour.
This is broadly in line with the result of a similar vote over on North Stand Chat. 18.2 percent of NSC users would be happy with Potter being reappointed. 61 percent said no and 20.8 percent could not decide.
For context, the Conservatives are polling at around 20 percent ahead of the General Election, making Potter less popular than Rishi Sunak according to NSC.
Whichever way you cut it, over 50 percent of Brighton fans appear to be against Potter taking charge for a second spell. It sends a message that Glow Up is going to be under pressure to deliver results right from the start.
For a man whose managerial career is a story of needing time and patience to get things right, that makes life difficult.
Why do Brighton fans not want Potter to return?
There are several reasons why more than half of Albion supporters do not want Potter back. The overriding one being the manner of his departure 20 months ago.
Tony Bloom had stuck with Glow Up through two-and-a-half years of questionable results and some ghastly performances, especially in front of goal.
Potter repaid that faith by walking out after 13 good games at the first sign of Chelsea throwing an admittedly ridiculous amount of cash at him.
Not only that, but Potter took his entire coaching team with him. Brighton were ransacked. Worse was to come when the Blues returned for Albion head of recruitment Paul Winstanley.
Chelsea then launched a January bid for Moises Caicedo of £55 million – just four months after Potter himself had publicly said the midfielder was worth £100 million whilst Seagulls manager.
Glow Up also made some bizarre digs at the Albion during his brief time in charge of Chelsea. “If I wanted a nice, easy life, I’d have stayed at Brighton” rankled with a lot of supporters. It has been used as a stick to beat Potter with ever since his return was mooted.
Roberto De Zerbi elevating Brighton to new heights
Potter’s cause is not helped by the instant connection his successor forged and maintained with Brighton fans. Glow Up was seen as this dull, grey, geography teacher.
A man who said “It is what it is” and that we needed to “Learn and take the positives” from losing 3-0 at home to rock-bottom Burnley.
Potter spoke of history lessons, his underlying point being Albion supporters should be grateful to his genius for having Brighton lower mid table in the Premier League. To have greater aspirations was silly.
Then came De Zerbi. He talked of European football, winning trophies and Brighton being a big club. His ambition turned the Albion upside down and changed the mentality of supporters.
Ultimately, it saw De Zerbi lead the Seagulls to sixth place in the Premier League, an FA Cup semi final and setting a host of records along the way.
Brighton have had a taste of the passion, excitement and fire of De Zerbi. To return to the dourness of Potter would be like going from wagyu beef to a a bowl of plain pasta with no sauce.
Whoever takes over from De Zerbi is going to struggle to fill his boots. But a fresh face will at least be given time from one of the most patient fanbases around.
A fanbase who never turned on Potter despite long runs without wins or goals. Who somehow remained broadly patient with Sami Hyypia for four months until it became clear Tony Bloom had made a rare managerial appointment misstep.
With nearly 70 percent of Brighton supporters not wanting Potter back, he will not receive the same grace period from the terraces as any other De Zerbi replacement.
Glow Up will be under pressure to deliver similar success to De Zerbi and do it quickly. As unreasonable as that may be, Glow Up made his bed when he slithered off to Stamford Bridge.
Potter in charge of a De Zerbi squad
Some Albion fans are against Potter returning to Brighton for footballing reasons as much as anything. This Seagulls squad is built for 4-2-3-1.
Its most dangerous attackers being fast wide players like Kaoru Mitoma, Solly March, Simon Adingra, Valentin Barco and Pervis Estupinan.
Potter preferred a back three and had a phobia of wingers. Mitoma did not make a single Premier League start under Glow Up. Estupinan was barely used.
Players were deployed out-of-position so often it felt like Potter was selecting his starting XI from a hat. Bernardo and Ben White in midfield. Alireza Jahanbakhsh as a false nine. Dale Stephens and Davy Propper doing stints at full back.
Brighton belatedly started to cook in the final six months of Potter’s reign. That is why Chelsea paid £21 million to take him to Stamford Bridge.
But the football and results which came during that period were soon made to look ordinary by what De Zerbi did with the same group of players.
Had Potter held Brighton back or was De Zerbi a managerial genius became a genuine question as the 2022-23 season rumbled on, the Seagulls soared into the Europa League and Potter was sacked after only seven months at Chelsea.
What can Potter do to win around the 69.9 percent of Brighton fans?
If Bloom does turn to Potter again, it will divide Brighton supporters. With everything Bloom has done, his judgement is nine times out of 10 considered above reproach. Glow Up coming back might, however, be that one-in-ten where supporters question the board.
Consequently, the Albion’s PR machine would have to do some serious heavy lifting to spin it. We are talking chief executive and deputy chairman Paul Barber OBE penning 1500 words here, there and everywhere.
Expect Andy Naylor to be providing deep dives over how Potter is the messiah and De Zerbi was actually a very naught boy over on The Athletic at the behest of the club.
Some fans have said they will be more open to Glow Up if he shows contrition over the manner of his departure and his comments about Brighton when at Chelsea.
Others though have threatened to boycott home games. To return their season tickets. Burning season tickets used to be a dramatic and wonderful sight to see.
Sadly, the digital age means nobody is likely to set fire to their phone outside the Amex. Although if you are planning such action, do let us know…
Whilst some responders to the poll said there was nothing Glow Up can do to turn their opinions around, the reality is people will mellow if Brighton win games of football.
Any apathy bordering on anger at his appointment will soon start to disappear if Potter oversaw a 4-1 win over Chelsea on the opening day of the 2024-25 season.
Right now though, Potter is slightly less popular than the Tories. It would be a bold move to bring him back to Brighton.
