For the beginning of the 1999-2000 season The Seagulls moved back to Brighton and began playing their home matches at Withdean Stadium, a converted athletics track owned by the local council. The campaign started very well with Brighton born debutant Darren Freeman scoring a hat-trick in a 6-0 thrashing of Mansfield in the first match of the season. Brighton's early season form was very patchy as they struggled to discover consistency as a rebuilt squad struggled to gel. This early campaign inconsistency was carried over into the New Year. One bright point was Darren Freeman becoming the first goal scorer of the new millennium when he netted in after just 2 minutes against Exeter City on January 2, 2000. In February 2000 Brighton purchased a little known striker on loan from Bristol Rovers called Bobby Zamora. Zamora made an instant impact scoring in his debut, the 1-1 home draw with Plymouth. Brighton lost their next match away at Northampton 1-0, this was to prove their last loss of the season as the following game a Zamora hat-trick inspired them to a 7-1 win at Chester City. Unfortunately the run of 8 wins and 6 draws came too late to mount a run at the play offs and Brighton finished 11, just 5 points off the play off places.