Kazenga LuaLua still loves a dart down the wing. Still loves a somersault.

He is ticking a football box by playing abroad for the first time in his career.

But, as he watches two of his former clubs go head to head at the Amex today on TV, he will have fond memories of both his home town Newcastle and Albion.

LuaLua is a few months into a two-year deal in Ankara with Genclerbirli in the Turkish second tier after parting company with Luton Town.

He came through the ranks at Toon but says he had the most fun of his career playing with the Seagulls.

In return, he gave Albion fans some special memories during their journey through League One and the Championship.

Withdean was a long way from St James' Park but, initially on loan deals, he made it a second home.

LuaLua said: "I was at Newcastle, there was a lot big names. They had like Nicky Butt, Michael Owen, Viduka, all these big name players.

"But the player who impressed me the most was Emre, the Turkish midfielder.

"Just to watch him in training and to train with him.

"He had so much quality. It was so good just to watch him and rain with him how he trained, how he looked after himself.

"When I used to go back with Brighton, I got a good reception from the fans because when I was there, I thought, I did well.

"I wasn’t a problem boy or anything like that.

"I was there since I was ten and I won a lot of trophies when I was younger, like young player of the year.

"So some good memories but, if you asked me between the two, probably where I had most fun would be Brighton.

“When I signed for Brighton, I think we were fighting to stay in League One.

“But I think that my best memory of Brighton was in my second loan spell when I came back.

“I don’t know if you can remember my debut against MK Dons and the goal from the free-kick."

Remember it? For many, it was among the favourite goals seen at Withdean.

(It's at 1:20 in the YouTube video above, which also includes a couple of examples of what it was occasionally like to interview him - this after a League Cup tie at Burton). 

“And I set one up for Glenn Murray that day.

“That was my favourite moment at Brighton but I’ve had a lot.

“I can only say positive things about Brighton.

“They were very nice to me - the staff, the chairman and everybody was really, really nice to me.”

Those who were there at the time will recall the explosive impact he had when arriving as an unknown on loan.

Dramatic pace from a standing start allowed him to knock the ball past a defender and power past him over just a few yards.

There were child-like chuckles among old heads in the press box when he did that or when that rocket against MK flew in.

LuaLua enjoyed his best start to a season in 2015-16 and his early goals kick-started a campaign which so nearly ended in promotion.

He enthusiastically followed Chris Hughton’s encouragement to go for goal – and to do his defensive work.

So much so that he had four goals by early September – and five yellow cards.

“I remember it,” he says now, laughing. “It was a pretty strange one.

“That was probably my best season at Brighton but I was getting yellow cards for random things.

“You can score a goal but, at the same time, you have got to help the team. You know those kinds of lazy tackles?

GRAHAM POTTER FACES SELECTION DECISIONS

“You’re trying to chase somebody but you’re that late you say the only option I’ve got is to foul him. It was those kinds of yellows.

“The formation we played under Chris Hughton was similar to how we played under Gus Poyet.

“It let the winger stay wide and, when you get the ball, try and do what you do best and create stuff for the striker.

“It was similar but it was enjoyable.

“Brighton don’t really play with a winger now. It’s a different formation but, at the same time, you’ve got a formation which is working well for you.”

What they do have is wing-backs and, in terms of excitement, it is easy to liken Tariq Lamptey now to LuaLua back then.

 

 

Different positions but the same explosive styles.

LuaLua said: “He’s quick, isn’t he? Every time I watch him, he’s a threat.

“For a full-back, he gets up and down. He’s exciting to watch but it’s not just him.

“The whole team are so exciting to watch because they’re so good.

“But, yes, I would say he’s one of my favourite Brighton players to watch.

“The hamstring injury always happens to the players who are quick and explosive.

“You don’t want to get injured but, at the same time, these injuries happen.

“Ten months out is a long time and it must be not easy for him, especially for him being so young as well.

“He was doing well but it’s nice to see him back fit, especially last week against Liverpool.”

Albion have been careful to ease Lamptey back in and LuaLua says that approach is the correct one.

Body and mind have to be just right.

He said he found it tough to come back from shorter absences and added: “Even when you recover from injury, you’re still thinking about it.

“It’s in your head – ‘if I try to sprint, if I try to do this, it’s going to go again’.

“So it did affect me a lot, especially I was at Brighton.

“Nobody wants to be injured, but if it happens, then you just have to be professional and get on with it.”

Poyet was so concerned about his winger, he told him not to celebrate goals with somersaults because he feared it was an injury risk.

“I scored a free kick at Liverpool. I was about to do my celebration, but then I saw Gus on the touchline and he said to me, ‘No, no, no, don’t do it’.

“I still do it. When you have had that celebration all your life, it’s hard not to do it.

“People like to see a celebration like that.”

These days, those who see it will be watching Genclerbirli.

LuaLua, 30, said: “My contract was up with Luton.

“I had a good chat with Nathan Jones and he said to me the next season was going to be tough for me so it will be nice for me to find somewhere where I can play.

“It was the right time for me to move on with my football career.

“I always wanted to go abroad before I stopped playing football.

“I had a long talk with my family and we decided it was good for me to leave England.

“Before signing, I was worried. I’ve never played abroad before.

“But it has been good. There’s a lot of boys here who speak English, including the manager, which helps a lot. I’m enjoying it.”