"?Brighton and Hove Albion manager Chris Hughton hopes his former side Newcastle United slip up in the Championship title race, despite admitting he still has plenty of affection for the Magpies.
Hughton spent two years in charge of Newcastle, acting as a caretaker manager before being offered the job on a permanent basis. He left the club in December 2010 and has since managed Birmingham City and Norwich before arriving in Brighton in 2014.
Brighton and Newcastle are the two favourites to secure automatic promotion to the Premier League this season, but Hughton has revealed he is hoping his former side fall off the pace as Brighton look to win the Championship.
"I've had three clubs since I left Newcastle,"? Hughton told "?the Telegraph.
"I've always had a great reception when I've gone back there and had a wonderful time living up there, but at this moment, in the games Newcastle play, I really don't want them to win.
"It's strange for me because I have such affection for the club, but for the first time, I don't want them to do well.
"There is a really good feel up there at the moment, I have lot of respect for Rafa Benitez, they are getting crowds of more than 50,000 in the Championship, it's incredible, but there is a really good thing happening here at Brighton. They are the rival we want to beat."?
Hughton's Brighton currently trail Newcastle by two points but have a game in hand on their rivals. The Seagulls take on Sheffield Wednesday on Friday night, while Newcastle host Rotherham United on Saturday afternoon.
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