Chris has been at the club for 4 years and was just 2 short of his 100th appearance for Stoke, albeit 47 of his appearances were as a substitute. In this time, he has scored a total of 19 goals.
This season he has been restricted to the reserves, scoring 8 times in the process and it came as no surprise when he handed in a transfer request. It looked as if he might have joined up with former boss Gudjon Thordarson during the transfer window but a £50,000 bid was rejected.
The move to Brighton invloves no money up front but Brighton will pay a fee if the club reaches the playoffs or achieves promotion. There is also a sell-on clause. The move is permanent although Iwelumo is only on a short term contract until the end of the season.
Iwelumo has been a definate fans favourite during his time at the Brit but few would argue that the move was right. He was not going to get first team football here so all credit to the player for seeking it elsewhere. Brighton offers a good opportunity for Chris to get his confidence and match practice up and it would be no surprise if he is back in the first division next season with the Seagulls.
Everybody at the club will be sad to see Chris leave as he was extremely popular with staff, players and fans alike. i'm sure everyone will wish him all the best in the future and thank him for 4 years of hard work.