Albion chairman Dick Knight has told fans he made a mistake in appointing Martin Hinshelwood as manager.

Hinshelwood was upgraded from director of youth in July after Peter Taylor quit the Seagulls at the end of last season.

Hinshelwood was axed after just 12 League games in charge and a run of ten straight defeats, which left Albion rooted to the foot of the First Division.

He is now director of football following the appointment last month of Steve Coppell.

Knight, speaking at a fans' forum at Brighton Racecourse last night, said: "I didn't promise that I would never make a wrong decision.

"With hindsight, although it was a unanimous decision of the Board, I put my hand up. The buck stops here.

"The choice of Hinsh, although we all felt he should be given his chance, didn't work out. Steve was one of the strong candidates that I interviewed in the summer and he's here now. I've put things right, better late than never."

Knight welcomed the Forty Note Fund, launched by supporters this week to raise money for Coppell to strengthen the squad.

"Although it's nowhere near the largest, ours is not the smallest budget in the First Division, despite the unique financial restrictions this club has to operate under," Knight said.

"Steve has already been given some extra money for the players he has brought in. The Board will endeavour to give him more and so will those of you who wish to contribute to the forty pound fund. I promise it will be ring-fenced for Steve's use."

Knight defended the decision to hand out new contracts to a number of the existing members of the squad during the summer, before Hinshelwood was chosen.

"I think if we hadn't done a lot of you would have been saying why did you turn your back on the players that got us to the First Division?

"Three or four weeks ago a lot of you were doubting them, but you have already seen that under Steve's guidance they are well capable of looking after themselves with the additional players he has brought in."

Knight said he would not stop a single big investor taking control of the club, but he insisted: "There is absolutely no evidence such a person exists. If they want to approach us properly we will sit down and talk with them."