Simply Red star Mick Hucknall teased a Brighton crowd mercilessly on the day his team won the championship - and the home side went down.

Hucknall, a Manchester United fan, was so excited by Sunday's events on the pitch he couldn't resist phoning manager Alex Ferguson on stage during Sunday night's show.

As he held the microphone to the phone and an elated Fergie told the baying crowd he wanted to buy them a drink, a small section of the crowd started chanting "Seagulls, Seagulls" - drowning out most of the famous manager's conversation.

Hucknall, who playfully threatened to leave the stage if the crowd continued to heckle Ferguson, assuring Albion fans he was sorry for their troubles, telling them: "You be happy for me and I'll be sorry for you."

The largely middle-aged crowd were treated to a selection of Simply Red classics - interspersed with more football celebrations.

Hucknall repeatedly reminded the crowd he was "a happy bunny", kicking a pretend ball and grinning his way through opening number "Sad Old Red".

One fan said: "Mick was completely buoyed up and talked about the football all night. Lots of people were booing him but it wasn't in a nasty way. It was all quite light-hearted.

"The crowd did start heckling and chanting 'Seagulls Seagulls' when he told Alex Ferguson he was the greatest manager in the world.

"I don't think there were too many United fans there but he did say he was sorry the Seagulls had gone down."

United clinched the Premier League title after Arsenal lost on Sunday, hours after Brighton and Hove Albion were relegated to the Second Division.