Newcastle’s trip to Brighton will have fans reminiscing about a bizarre AMEX moment

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It may seem a long time ago from both Newcastle and Brighton’s current states, with both clubs being regular European challengers in recent years.

Yet less than a decade ago, the Premier League duo were competing at the top of the Championship for a shot at the second-tier title under Rafa Benitez and Chris Hughton.

The Magpies had suffered a shock relegation in the 2015-16 Premier League season, falling into the drop zone at the expense of rivals Sunderland, whilst Brighton had narrowly missed out on promotion the season before with a final day loss against another North East club in Middlesbrough.

And Newcastle fans who are travelling down to the south coast after October’s international break will certainly remember a bizarre goal from Mohamed Diame that lives long in the memory.

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Newcastle fans will surely remember Mo Diame’s freak goal at Brighton in the Championship

Newcastle and Brighton were neck and neck in the table heading into the 34th game of the Championship season at the AMEX Stadium.

The Seagulls had only lost on home turf once in the league until that point, going 14 games without a loss until Rafa Benitez’s men showed up, who themselves had only lost three games away from home by the end of February in a remarkable run of form. It was a proper heavyweight bout.

Brighton topped the standings, taking 71 points from 33 games, though Newcastle were right behind them with 70 points, five clear of Huddersfield Town in third.

Veteran striker Glenn Murray had given the home side the lead from the penalty spot in the first half, and it looked as though they would win the game to go four points clear in the table.

However, in the 81st minute, Christian Atsu’s shot from the edge of the box was flicked instinctively by striker Daryl Murphy onto Mohamed Diame’s boot.

Somehow, with his foot being on the floor and simply with his heel flicked towards the goal, the Senegal international scored from around 10 yards to give Newcastle a fighting chance.

The goal is still talked about today as one of the most bizarre in English history, and it will certainly get a few re-runs before Newcastle travel to the south coast.

Mohamed Diame goal eventually won Newcastle the Championship title

Incredibly, Diame’s goal changed not only the game, but the course of the season.

Newcastle went on to win just six of their remaining 12 games in the league, including a run of two wins from eight matches through early March to mid-April.

Incredibly, they were seven points behind with just three games to go, and not totally clear of the play-offs, sitting six points ahead of Reading with nine points to play for.

However, the Magpies did what they could with three wins to end the campaign, comprehensive wins over Preston North End, Cardiff City and Barnsley, though Brighton only needed a win.

Remarkably, they failed to do so. A 2-0 loss at Norwich City, in which goalkeeper David Stockdale scored two own goals, was followed by a home loss to Bristol City. That was only their third AMEX defeat of the season.

They did take the lead at Aston Villa on the final day, and with Villa down to ten men, it looked as though they’d see out the title.

But England international and Manchester City treble winner Jack Grealish broke Seagulls hearts in the 89th minute with an equaliser, prompting wild scenes at St. James’ Park.

That goal had a lot of implications – not only on the night, or for the title, but in terms of being without doubt one of the biggest freak goals in English football history.