Sussex World reporters Sam Morton and Jacob Panons were in Amsterdam to speak with Brighton fans before the huge Europa League match against Ajax
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00:00 (group) Yo!
00:04 I'm Freddie. This is Jake. I'm Jake.
00:07 Nice one, and how excited are you for the game?
00:09 Absolutely buzzing, absolutely buzzing. I can't wait, it's electric. The feeling, oh!
00:13 Looking forward to it so much. I mean, I didn't get to go to Marseille, so I'm going to IAX in Athens, so I've had a few of those.
00:20 And we're literally driven. Yeah, I love it. Absolutely buzzing, I can't wait.
00:23 Absolutely buzzing, never felt that before.
00:24 I had to wear this because my mate said if you can get me a ticket somehow, I've got to wear a see-goer costume.
00:29 And I thought, I ain't going to get one, but he went back from resale and he got me one.
00:32 So, honestly, absolutely buzzing.
00:34 True story.
00:35 It's amazing. What are your score predictions? How do you see the game going?
00:39 I'm going to go 1-0. I feel like, if I say we're going to win, then I don't think we will.
00:43 2-0, Pedro Penuele.
00:45 Do you see it being a tougher game than the home fixture? Or do you see it away from home?
00:48 They've got a couple of wins in a row now in the league, and I think, because they've got rid of their manager now, haven't they?
00:54 Have they got a new manager yet?
00:55 Yeah, they've got a new manager.
00:57 So I think it's going to be a tough one to be fair. I don't think... Back in their backyard as well.
01:01 The eagle.
01:02 See-go.
01:03 It's an eagle.
01:04 I'm Maureen Seamus.
01:20 I'm Acton Seamus.
01:22 Amaze, how long have you been Brighton fans for?
01:25 Forever.
01:26 Forever?
01:27 Yes, we've been Brighton supporters ever since.
01:29 I went to tour with them.
01:30 Yeah, back in the day.
01:32 I got lost on the countdown.
01:34 So we've been through all the bad times, good times and even better times.
01:39 Amazing. I mean, how incredible is it to be here today in Amsterdam?
01:43 Incredible. We've come actually, we've booked in through Seagulls Travel.
01:47 Okay.
01:48 And they have coach, coach, they've given us high stars and we have stayed in the club.
01:53 Because it's been absolutely stress free, it's been wonderful.
01:57 Made some big new friends on the coach.
02:01 And here we are, looking forward to a really exciting match.
02:05 Amazing. It must be so surreal to be in such a huge, huge city playing a massive football club.
02:10 Absolutely. Absolutely.
02:12 It's a community football club and the London's Lady have made some tremendous friends.
02:18 It's made a part of our life, hasn't it?
02:23 In entertainment and wonderful.
02:25 Yeah, we go to a lot of EY games when we can.
02:29 And here we are in Amsterdam, here we are in front of the Leafs.
02:33 It's a bit surreal, I think.
02:35 Yeah, incredible.
02:36 How do you see the game going? Are you confident?
02:38 We are reasonably confident, but that's as far as we can go.
02:41 We just want to put that and just be great so far.
02:44 And we're really happy.
02:46 How does it feel, obviously, I see that retro Brian top on.
02:49 Brian has gone on a long journey since he won that to be in here today.
02:52 How amazing has that journey been as a fan?
02:54 Pretty good. I joined the journey a little bit later, because I'm a little bit younger than the shirt might suggest.
03:00 But I started watching the last years of Wig Games in '16.
03:04 It's been pretty much all the way uphill.
03:08 It's kind of surreal really.
03:10 We feel like we've almost reached the top of the mountain now, we've really got to.
03:14 Since watching the championship, we've had 62 games since the championship.
03:18 We got into the championship early hours and it opened.
03:22 And from there, you know, we've been on a steady climb.
03:26 Now we've arrived.
03:28 And like a lot of other fans here at Sport United, Arsenal, they have this all the time.
03:33 And I'm surprised that they all don't go all the time.
03:37 But yeah, it's been brilliant.
03:39 And for those who can't make it here today, how would you describe the atmosphere to other Arwean fans?
03:44 We get more lively.
03:47 It's kind of hard to...
03:49 I feel like everyone went out last night.
03:51 I'm not sure anyone can really...
03:54 I don't think anyone's really processed it quite yet.
03:57 It's really weird.
03:59 But obviously it's brilliant.
04:02 It's completely surreal.
04:05 I can't really describe it, but hopefully many more to come.
04:09 Let's say that at least.
04:11 And looking forward to the game, do you think Brighton are going to win it?
04:14 I think it'll be tight.
04:16 Because we went to the game at the Amex and they didn't look very good.
04:21 But they had a spell of about 15 minutes where they looked like they could play really good football.
04:25 So we're worried that they might bring that out tonight.
04:28 But hopefully they don't have the wrong moment.
04:31 Have you been to any of the other away games so far?
04:35 I've been to Marseille.
04:36 You've been to Athens as well?
04:38 I've had a few at Athens, but I don't know if there are other people.
04:41 I might dabble.
04:43 And how does this compare to Marseille?
04:46 It's a lot nicer than Marseille.
04:49 I mean, we can actually...
04:51 Marseille, you're squared.
04:53 You're cordoned off by the police or the soldiers.
04:57 In Marseille it was warm, we were in shorts.
05:00 They basically said that you can have a bit of fun.
05:02 We'd actually walk around the city.
05:04 I've been wearing my white shirt all day and I haven't been in the pub.
05:06 They might be concerned about it, which I wasn't in Marseille.
05:09 The guidance they gave us.
05:11 It's a lot nicer and it's a lovely city.
05:14 And how excited are you to be here today?
05:16 It's great. The atmosphere is amazing.
05:18 We're really looking forward to the game, hoping for another win.
05:20 So yeah, it's all really good.
05:21 How long have you been a Brighton fan for?
05:23 I've got about five, six years probably.
05:26 I've been a friend of Brighton a long time.
05:28 So I've followed them on the side.
05:30 But I've been a proper fan for about six years.
05:32 How surreal is it to be in Amsterdam?
05:34 It's amazing. It's amazing to be here to share in the first European tour as well.
05:38 We're really, really happy.
05:39 And how do you see the game going? Are you confident?
05:41 Yeah, definitely 3-1 is our prediction.
05:43 3-1. Who's going to score, do you think?
05:45 Ducky. I think Ducky's got a goal in him for sure.
05:48 Yeah? Amazing.
05:50 And then how far do you think Brighton can go in the competition?
05:52 Is it something that should be a realistic aim to go further and knock it around?
05:55 Yeah, you've always got to weigh them high, haven't you?
05:57 Definitely. I think they can go far.
05:59 We've got a lot of injuries, so that's the only thing.
06:01 But I'm sure we can get over that. I'm sure De Serby has a plan.
06:03 And yeah, they'll get us really far.
06:05 Are you excited for the game tomorrow?
06:06 Absolutely buzzing, to be fair.
06:07 It's been a few minutes having our lifetime.
06:09 The fact that we're here now, yeah, it's brilliant.
06:11 Did you say you went to Marseille as well?
06:13 No, they did. I couldn't because of work.
06:15 But them two, it is amazing.
06:16 So this must be the pick of the bunch in the group.
06:18 This is the one. We didn't have tickets initially.
06:21 And then last minute we managed to get some on the website.
06:24 So we've actually, yeah, absolutely buzzing.
06:26 Nothing relieved to get the ticket after this trip.
06:29 Yeah, I mean, obviously we knew it was going to be hard to get.
06:31 But yeah, it was great to get through.
06:33 How do you think the game's going to go?
06:34 I actually think, in the home leg, they were probably the worst team we've played this season.
06:39 I don't want to say that bad, but they've got a new manager and they've won their last two games.
06:42 So I expect a tougher one, but it might suit us if they come out and try and attack us a bit more.
06:47 So I still think we'll win. 2-1 maybe, 2-0?
06:49 I definitely think we'll still win.
06:50 Brilliant. Who's going to score, do you think?
06:52 Go on. Gael Pedro, because he always scores in Europe.
06:55 And we'd love a Louis Dunk free kick. It's been getting closer every week.
06:59 And how long have you all been Brighton fans for?
07:01 Too many years. 40 years for me.
07:03 45 years.
07:04 Amazing. So how surreal is this experience to be in Amsterdam?
07:07 Amazing.
07:08 It's, it's, it's, yeah.
07:11 As I said not long ago, we were travelling to Gillingham.
07:14 So, I saw the Ajax, European champions, and real, you know, football heritage.
07:20 It's also the other day that we got, we got beat 26 years ago, like last week.
07:24 We got beat 3-0 by Bayern.
07:26 Yeah, yeah. It's crazy.
07:27 Here we are.
07:28 Amazing. How do you see the game going? Are you confident Brighton can get the win?
07:31 Yeah.
07:32 We've won two weeks in a row, so that's why we're confident.
07:35 Nice one. How far can Brighton go in the competition, do you think?
07:38 Knock out rounds?
07:39 Depends what happens today.
07:40 Yeah?
07:41 We'll see what happens today.
07:42 All the way. All the way.
07:43 Amazing. I mean, who are your favourite players? Who do you see scoring today?
07:46 Ooh, it's got to be Pedro.
07:48 Pedro, yeah?
07:50 Pascal Gros.
07:51 Yeah?
07:52 I want to see him do a close turn.
07:53 Of course, of course.
07:54 Yeah.
07:55 Pascal Gros has his first close turn in.
07:57 Yeah.