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Adomah faces former Bristol City team-mate in promotion clash

Albert Adomah Baldock Albert Adomah in enhanced photo with Sam Baldock

Sat, 7 May 2016 Source: Bristol Post

Ghana winger Albert Adomah will become deadly foes with his former Bristol City team-mate Sam Baldock as Middlesbrough clash with Brighton as both sides seek promotion to the English Premier League.

Adomah's Middlesbrough host Baldock's Brighton in arguably the most important game either has been involved in.

At stake is a place in the Premier League next season and the final day showdown between the Championship's second and third-placed teams amounts to a play-off final.

Victory for either side will see them join Burnley in clinching automatic promotion to the top flight and the stakes could scarcely be any higher.

Adomah has a potentially significant advantage over his one-time Ashton Gate colleague, given that a draw would secure winners-up spot for Boro and consign the Seagulls to trial by play-off.

Both star turns during their time in BS3, Adomah and Baldock left to pursue their dream of one day playing Premier League football. For one of them, the dream will become a reality tomorrow afternoon.

Signed from Barnet by then City boss Steve Coppell in July 2010, Adomah's recruitment represented the former Crystal Palace and Reading manager's most meaningful act during his ill-fated two month spell in charge.

Coppell may have left, his reputation tarnished, but Adomah went from strength to strength during a City career that saw him make 131 appearances in the Championship and score 17 goals for the Robins.

His bold and fearless style of play, endeared the popular winger to City fans, who took Adomah to their hearts during his three seasons on the books.

His exhilarating performances attracted interest from Premier League clubs Swansea and Wigan and the Londoner spoke openly of his ambition to play in the domestic top flight and represent His country, Ghana, at the World Cup finals.

He achieved the second of those goals when turning out for the African Lions in Brazil in the summer of 2014, and he now stands on the threshold of realising his other ambition.

Promotion this weekend would fully justify Adomah's decision to throw in his lot with Middlesbrough rather than join Wigan.

Signed from West Ham United for £1m by Derek McInnes in August 2013, Baldock also established himself as a favourite with the Ashton Gate crowd during two seasons in which he netted 34 times in 83 games.

Unable to save the Robins from relegation in his first season, his goals and captaincy played a major part in keeping City in League One a year later.

When Championship club Brighton made the striker an offer he could not refuse and the Ashton Gate board of directors sold him for a handsome profit, the overwhelming majority of City fans understood his motives for leaving and wished him well.

But City fans will find themselves in a position where they have to decide between Adomah and Baldock this weekend.

Both players crave Premier League status, but only one of them will be celebrating automatic promotion on Saturday evening.

So the question we are asking Bristol City fans is, which would you like to see playing in the Premier League next season? Who do you want to see come out on top at the Riverside tomorrow? Adomah or Baldock?

Source: Bristol Post