As chairman Dick Knight continues the hunt for his sixth Albion manager in five years, perhaps it is time for a policy change.

He lost two of his choices to other clubs, Brian Horton quitting for Port Vale and Micky Adams leaving for Leicester.

In the absence of an outstanding candidate in the available tray, Knight might be persuaded to engage in a spot of poaching of his own.

Prior to the appointment of Peter Taylor he was looking for someone experienced with a track record of success, a willingness to work with the existing staff and to develop young players.

The goalposts will not have shifted much in terms of criteria and there are several eyecatching contenders already in employment with other Nationwide League clubs.

Topping my list would be Steve Coppell. He is said to be fed up with Ron Noades and looks poised to walk out on Brentford even if they join the Seagulls in the First Division next season by beating Stoke in this Saturday's play-off final.

Coppell was the first name mentioned by a couple of former managers, both of them ex-internationals, at the Football Writers' Dinner last week.

He has done a fantastic job in difficult circumstances in his first season at Griffin Park and always comes across as one of the most astute men in the game.

Coppell was, of course, a fine player for Manchester United and England. The majority of his managerial career has been spent with Albion's supposed arch enemies Crystal Palace, but that should not count against him.

Taylor played for Palace as well and the risk of offending a minority of short-sighted suppporters in order to land the right man for the job is well worth taking.

Coppell has experience of working in the First Division and working on a tight budget. So too does my second choice, Joe Kinnear.

He has just steered Luton to promotion to Division Two in his first full season at Kenilworth Road on his comeback from heart trouble.

Kinnear made his name in management at Wimbledon. Remarkably, they finished in the top dozen in the Premier League in four of his seven years in charge.

The 55-year-old Dubliner also played for Albion for a season in the mid Seventies, which would appeal to Knight's sense of tradition.

Two more former Albion players figure prominently on the wish list, Danny Wilson and Steve Cotterill.

Bristol City narrowly missed out on a play-off place in the Second Division under Wilson for the second season running.

Before that the popular Seagulls midfielder steered Barnsley into the Premiership for a season and also managed Sheffield Wednesday at the highest level.

Wilson may just feel that Bristol City, even though currently a division lower, have as much potential as Albion in the immediate future.

That would certainly not be the case for Cotterill. His playing connection with the Seagulls amounted to 11 appearances on loan from Wimbledon a decade ago, but he has done an exceptional job at his home town club, Cheltenham.

In the space of five years he has lifted them from the Dr Martens League into the Second Division with Monday's play-off final victory over Rushden and Diamonds.

Cotterill probably thinks he has taken Cheltenham as far as he realistically can. The only factor which might count against the strong-minded 37-year-old is an absence of First Division experience.

Looking further afield, up north in fact, are two more managers with the kind of qualities Knight will be looking for.

If Albion want more of the same then Ronnie Moore could be their man. He pre-empted the Seagulls' feat by guiding Rotherham to promotion from the Third and Second Divisions in successive seasons and has just kept the unfashionable South Yorkshire club in the First against all the odds.

Moore indicated recently that his success-filled reign at dilapidated Millmoor has run its course.

"The playing side has moved on so quickly that the ground and the club have been left in a time-warp," he said.

"I love it here but I think we have given it the best anybody can ever give this club. If things don't change I'll look at opportunities."

If Knight could sell his vision of Falmer to Moore that opportunity might just knock on the south coast.

Another long shot possibility hails from the club pipped for First Division survival by Moore's Rotherham.

Dario Gradi has performed miracles during an incredible 19-year tenure at Crewe. Now that they have been relegated it could be time to move on.

Gradi's unparalleled record for producing home grown talent would certainly appeal to Knight and it is easy to forget his managerial career kicked off in the south with Wimbledon.

Read why Peter Taylor quit plus all the reaction at thisisthealbion.co.uk