Skip to main content
Features

Seven years on: Brighton's XI for their Premier League debut and where are they now

Brighton made their Premier League debut seven years ago today, and plenty has changed since.

12.08.25, 07:30 Updated 22.05.26, 14:52 4 Minute Read

Charlie Parker-Turner

Charlie Parker-Turner

Brighton’s Premier League era got underway on the 12th of August 2017, a sunny afternoon at the Amex. Chris Hughton was at the reins as they played out a 2-0 defeat to Manchester City.

As far as opponents go to kickstart your life in the top division, it couldn’t have gotten much more difficult than a City side that would go on to win the league with 100 points.

Nonetheless, Hughton’s Seagulls put out a steady fight, holding on for the first 70 minutes and creating some key chances along the way. It was Sergio Aguero who eventually broke the deadlock 20 minutes before the end, stripping Mathew Ryan of the clean sheet before City doubled their lead courtesy of a Lewis Dunk own goal five minutes later. 

Become a member today.

The Brighton Base needs its community to support independent, high-quality coverage of Brighton & Hove Albion. Subscribe to a monthly or annual package today to be a part of something special.

Subscribe for £5

Already have an account? Sign in

Charlie Parker-Turner

Charlie Parker-Turner Editor

Get started with our free newsletter

Sign up to receive your free newsletter with articles and analysis from our team

By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from The Brighton Base.