Brighton sacked manager Chris Hughton on Monday in what chairman Tony Bloom described as “one of the most difficult decisions” he had ever had to make. Hughton leaves despite guiding Brighton to the FA Cup semi-finals and retaining their Premier League status for a second successive season. The decision may well have come as a shock to 60-year-old Hughton, who had spoken of his desire for players to bounce back from the final day 4-1 defeat by Manchester City on Sunday and other disappointing spells during the campaign. “Undoubtedly, this has been one of the most difficult decisions I have had to make as chairman of Brighton & Hove Albion, but ultimately one I have made due to how we struggled in the second half of the season,” said Bloom in a club statement. “Our run of three wins from 23 Premier League matches put our status at significant risk.
