Soccer: Brighton climb back to first division

Brighton bounced straight back into the English first division with a 1-0 victory over Bristol City in the second-division playoff final at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium yesterday.

A Leon Knight penalty seven minutes from time was enough for the south coast side to return to England's second flight, from which they were relegated last year.

Brighton have had a remarkable few seasons since their Goldstone Ground was sold from beneath them in 1995. They went up from the third division to the first in successive seasons in 2001 and 2002. But financially hampered by their 6960-capacity temporary home at the Withdean athletics stadium, they slumped back down last year.