There are just 20 privileged managers who can be in the Premier League.
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Brighton, who travelled north in search of their own fairytale 19 years after Robbie Reinelt’s goal at Hereford prevented them dropping out of the Football League, must now prepare themselves to seek promotion through the play-offs.
Hughton said: “In another season we would have gone up automatically, but that’s how it is – you’re always going to look back at the moments when you could have got more points”.
The former Boro player and manager expects the momentum and energy obtained from promotion to serve the side well in the top-flight of English football.
“I remember after the play-off final, when we went back to the hotel and had a few drinks, the chairman was brilliant”.
“We had to dig deep at times”, he said. The decision by chairman Steve Gibson to invest in playing staff for head coach Aitor Karanka was justified as two of the imports he helped finance came to the fore in Stuani and Ramirez.
But there was still no guarantees that the arrivals of Stewart Downing, Cristhian Stuani and David Nugent would lead to a top two spot – and it went right down to the wire. “Aitor’s done a fantastic job, they’ve recruited really well and that’s key – we’ve seen that with Leicester”.
“Of course there were tears again this time, but they were tears that told a different story”.
Speculation has swirled over Karanka’s future on Teesside after a freaky mid-season bust-up which saw him stay at home while his club slumped to a potentially crucial defeat at Charlton.
Karanka’s men finished their season with an unbeaten run of 10 games, although four draws in their last four outings ensured they were made to sweat a little more than they originally would have thought.
Middlesbrough fans celebrate after the game.
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“Brighton’s season has been unbelievable”, he said.
