One was Albion's greatest top flight scorer, the other arguably Albion's greatest ever player.

They were team-mates at three clubs, including the Seagulls, and at international level.

You would think they are the best of friends after such close ties, yet Michael Robinson has launched an outspoken attack against Mark Lawrenson.

Robinson, Spain's most popular sporting pundit, has savaged the way Lawrenson, Alan Hansen and Gary Lineker cover English football for the BBC.

The 46-year-old former centre forward is as robust with his remarks about the Beeb's footie team as he was when he played for Albion in the early 1980's, scoring a total of 37 goals in the old First Division.

Robinson, fondly remembered by Seagulls supporters for the winning goal against Sheffield Wednesday in the 1983 FA Cup semi-final, writes, directs and presents 'El DIa DespuEs'.

The offbeat programme, embracing the passion and politics of Spanish football, is far removed from the BBC's more chummy, chat around the sofa style which Robinson so blatantly loathes.

In an astonishing interview in Observer Sport Monthly, he argues: "There is a screaming necessity for a journalist.

"They all speak now in a certain argot (jargon), they all sit down comfy, comfy - Lineker, Hansen, Lawrenson and the rest.

"And there's no journalist saying, "Why?" Hansen thinks every goal that's ever been scored is a defensive error, because when you don't understand football, you can stop a tape anywhere running up to a goal and find a rick.

"But everybody makes an error. And when he says something Lineker goes, 'Oh, all right then'. Lawrenson simply underlines or puts inverted commas around what Hansen says.

"They need to be challenged. It's all happy families. I consider the BBC to be the mother and father of all television but they've become totally prostituted."

Robinson goes further. "There's no recognition of cultural elements, no awareness. Just get Gary Lineker, because he was Julie Andrews, sling him on and throw in Hansen and Lawrenson, and that'll do.

"I'll tell you something, as an ex-professional footballer, Baddiel and Skinner came closer to understanding football than anyone else.

"They loved football. The others are cheap ex-players, throwing three dodgy verbs around."

Robinson is thought to have already incurred the wrath of Lawrenson, Hansen and Lineker over his comments.

Lawrenson was an Albion team-mate in 1980-81. He played with Robinson before that at Preston and afterwards at Liverpool.

The heralded defender refused to become embroiled in a TV war of words with his former Republic of Ireland colleague when The Argus contacted him.

"I'm not interested. So what? I'm not bothered about it," he insisted.

Alan Mullery, who signed both players for the Seagulls, is unaware of any rift between the pair from their time together at The Goldstone.

Mullery, now a Sky Sports pundit, said: "They were as good as gold, no problems at all.

"Mark Lawrenson was probably the best buy I ever made for Brighton, a world class player.

"Robbo was very gentle and still is. We had a lot of characters at that time, Steve Foster, John Gregory, Andy Ritchie and Brian Horton.

"I don't know whether Michael has changed, but he still calls me boss when I speak to him on the odd occasion and is an extremely nice young man.

"He is entitled to his opinion, like everyone else. The only thing I would disagree with is calling them cheap ex-players. All three (Lawrenson, Hansen and Lineker) were outstanding players."

Others tell a different story about the relationship between Robinson and Lawrenson at Albion.

An insider, who refused to be named, revealed to The Argus: "They didn't really hit it off.

"Robbo became Irish overnight. He found a granny somewhere and I don't think Lawro liked that much."