Brighton were incredibly unlucky not to win promotion to the Premier League last season, first missing out on the automatic promotion spots by just a couple of points, and then losing to a Sheffield Wednesday side they were unfortunate not to beat in the Play-Offs.

However, a couple of things can be taken from the near miss.

The first is that Chris Hughton is definitely the right man to take the Seagulls forward, after taking them from the cusp of relegation in the 2014/15 season to the brink of promotion in the 2015/16 season.

The second is that they are built on solid foundations.

The players brought into the side have made a real impact, with the likes of Tomer Hemed, Jiri Skalak and Beram Kayal earning plenty of admirers with some stellar performances.

With a crucial season ahead of them, here are 3 Brighton players to watch out for in the 2016/17 season.....

 

Jiri Skalak

skalakskalakd

After a solid start to life at Brighton, Skalak earned a call-up to the Czech Republic Euro 2016 squad, which gives you an idea of the impression he made on those around Brighton & Hove Albion.

With a whole season ahead of him, Skalak could really establish himself as a top quality Championship player, and at just 24 years of age he clearly has lots of potential still to fill.

His pace and ability to shoot from range could prove difficult for opposition defences to handle next season.

Richie Towell

Richie Towell

Very few have heard of the Irish midfielder, but believe it or not he was actually nominated for the provisional Ballon D'or shortlist, which gives you some idea of the talent this guy has.

He joined the Seagulls in January from Irish side Dundalk, where he scored a staggering 43 goals in 96 league appearances from midfield.

He will enter the new season as an unknown quantity, which could definitely work in Brighton's favour, and with a whole pre season ahead, he could become a great player.

Gaetan Bong

Gaetan Bongmb

 The Cameroonian has been very impressive when fit, and struck up a solid partnership with Kazenga LuaLua during his run in the side.

His rise to this level has been rapid, joining Wigan as a trialist from Olympiakos in February 2015, where he made just 14 appearances before going on to join the Seagulls after being released by Wigan following their relegation from the Championship.

His appearances have been limited, but he could become a key player for Brighton next season.