Albion assessed

We are all delighted with the start of Chris Hughton. Whereas Sami Hyppia had rather inflexible ideas about how his team should play but the group did not respond, Chris is more pragmatic basing his ideas on the potential of the players. He is very much a players’ manager. We are now unbeaten in 4 games and we hope to keep the run going against London sides with a win over Brentford this Saturday. The following weekend we entertain the Arsenal. Albion have always been a feisty cup side – we reached the final in 1983- so we intend to make a game of it.

In the transfer window we will need to get in a striker which is never easy as many clubs have the same aim. We also need to hold onto Lewis Dunk who is our top scorer, quite something as he is a redoubtable stopper in defence. Young Solly March, who delivers a precise free kick, is playing well as is Rohan Ince who was on the end of one such free kick to head home the winner at Charlton. With these three and Jake Forster Caskey all under 25 we have the basis of a young side we need to keep together.

There has been sadness in the City with the sea claiming two young lives in the storms. Four young people went to the water on the beach late on Friday on a dare. Two were sucked into the sea and only emerged two days later washed up on the beach of Rottingdean. The waves were too rough for the lifeboat to set out but even if it did it would have been in vain as they must have lost their young lives quickly.