This month eight years ago, a Chelsea team that had been crowned European champions at the end of the previous campaign headed from Cobham to the South Coast, as the preparations for a new campaign were cranked up following games in the United States.

Didier Drogba may have departed the scene, for a while at least, but we had a new hot prospect, a Belgian who came to us via France by the name of Eden Hazard, and Brighton was his Blues bow in Blighty.

Hazard lined-up that Saturday afternoon with a classic Chelsea rearguard further back on the pitch – Petr Cech, Branislav Ivanovic, Gary Cahill, John Terry and Ashley Cole.

In the midfield with Raul Meireles and Michael Essen was a certain Frank Lampard, while Ramires provided width on the other flank from Hazard, with Fernando Torres able to start his first game of that pre-season.

Click for details of the live stream of today's game, which kicks off at 3pm UK time

Brighton back then were in the Championship and while the Chelsea manager was Roberto Di Matteo, in charge of the Seagulls was his former team-mate Gustavo Poyet.

There were further connections too with Chelsea Academy product Liam Bridcutt in the Brighton side. A stalwart of their side to this day, defender Lewis Dunk, was also present.

Lampard, who else, gave his side the lead 10 minutes before half-time in what was the first game between these clubs in over two decades. In a smart counter-attack Ramires raced forward, Torres dummied the cross and Super Frank slotted home.

Two minutes later however the script was ripped up when Brighton equalised through former Valencia man Vicente and then a minute before half-time, after Cech had saved from the Spaniard, Ashley Barnes scored from the rebound.

In the second half, Lampard was at the heart of the Blues response, and Torres should have scored from his cross. Cech saved again from Vicente, a fine stop.

Lampard had an effort blocked on the line and Hazard and substitute David Luiz went close but in the closing moments Andrew Crofts ensured a shock 3-1 win for the home side.

Di Matteo lamented a lack of aggression and movement from his side after the game and a patchy pre-season was a forerunner to a patchy season, with the Italian replaced at the helm by Rafael Benitez during it.

Fortunately our fortunes at Brighton’s Amex since that 2012 defeat have proved much better with last season’s draw there preceded by two good wins on our other Premier League visits. Eden Hazard’s Chelsea career turned out not bad either!

Click for details of the live stream of today's game, which kicks off at 3pm UK time