Championship side Brighton and Hove Albion have completed the signing of Stoke City defender Matthew Upson on a one year contract.
The 34 year old former Birmingham Cit defender spent the latter stages of last season on loan at the Seagulls and the Championship club has taken up the chance to offer him a new contract on a permanent basis following his release from Premier League Stoke City last month.
Upson was an immense success for the Amex Stadium side as he helped the club reach the playoff semi finals and also contributed to an air tight defense for the south coast side that conceded just 15 goals while he was there at the side. It was thought the departure of Gus Poyet, the man who brought Matthew Upson to the club as manager after falling out with the club board will have an effect on the player’s future at the club but that hasn’t turned out to be the case and the player has signed on a permanent contract at the club.
David Burke, who serves as the head of the club’s football operations, stated that the club is delighted that Upson has decided to come back to the club and it also shows the club’s desire to succeed having signed a player of the pedigree, caliber and experience of Upson. He added that it is not like Upson is a new signing because he has been at the club for six months and knows what it is about.
Burke added that Matthew Upson also brings stability as well as continuity to the defense and that is something the club was looking for and it bodes well with having a strong defense at the back as it was seen last season when the club reached the playoff stages of the Championship.