REUNITED after 12 years apart, the love affair between Albion and returning hero Bobby Zamora has reignited with fervour.

Club fans have reacted joyously to the news that the striker has returned to the club where he slammed home 83 goals between 2000 and 2003.

The signing has boosted already record breaking merchandise sales with nine out of ten shirts sold since the confirmation of Zamora’s signing bearing the 34-year-old’s name.

Meanwhile the club’s website has had six times its normal traffic.

And even the bookmakers are getting excited with them offering short odds for the former Fulham, West Ham and QPR frontman to top the Championship scoring charts come May next year.

Fans can get 20/1 on Zamora ending the season as the division’s top scorer from William Hill who are also offering 90/1 on the striker making an instant impact and scoring a hat-trick on debut against Nottingham Forest at the Amex on Friday.

PaddyPower has Zamora at 8/1 to score 20 goals or more in the Championship this season and Albion have moved from 8/1 to 7/1 for promotion based on his signing.

Both Paddy Power and Coral have confirmed bets backing Albion’s promotion bid from fans in the city since the signing was confirmed.

Fans have said the signing had created “extra interest and excitement” ahead of Friday’s Championship opener.

Paul Samrah, founder of the Falmer For All campaign, said the signing was “a shrewd move” from the Albion.

He said: “It’s a good move from a financial perspective, you can hear the cash tills ringing all the way from Falmer, but whether it will be on the pitch only time will tell.

“When Peter Ward came back to the club all those years ago there was fantastic expectation and while he wasn’t the same player, he did help us get to Wembley so maybe history will repeat itself.”

Liz Costa, vice chairwoman of the Brighton and Hove Albion supporters' club, said: “Whenever we saw Bobby, he always said he wanted to come back to us to finish his career.

“I just hope that people don’t expect too much, he is not the same guy who left us, he is older, wiser but slower.

“Every club needs those heroes and last year we did not have one.”