A year ago today Mark McGhee was unveiled as Albion's manager and began to prepare for a trip to Peterborough.

Twelve months on, the Seagulls are performing in much posher surroundings.

Saturday's visit to the Stadium of Light to face Sunderland and his former Celtic team-mate Mick McCarthy emphasises how far Albion have come under McGhee's astute leadership.

Wins against other fallen giants of the Premiership, such as Leicester, Nottingham Forest and Leeds at Withdean last Saturday, have lifted Albion to heights on the pitch they have not experienced for a decade.

McGhee, reflecting on a happy first anniversary, said: "It's part of what I have been saying when we drop points. I would rather be losing to Crewe away than playing Peterborough in the division below.

"Swindon and Bristol City have got about the same number of points as us, except they are a division lower. Arguably they were both better teams than us at the end of last season, even though we beat them, so we have got to be pleased."

Pleased yes, but McGhee is not shocked to be back in the Coca-Cola Championship after parting company with Millwall just a fortnight before joining Albion.

"I took the job thinking this was possible," he insisted. "I said at the time I didn't particularly want to be a Second Division manager again. I felt I had done my time in the Second Division.

"I wanted to work, that was the most important thing, but I might have waited a little bit longer to see if there was something in the First Division had I not thought there was a realistic chance of us being promoted, so I'm not too surprised."

What has surprised McGhee is Albion's speedy recovery from a worrying start, sparked by his inspired decision to convert Adam Virgo from a defender into a centre forward.

Albion were bottom with only a point from their first four games. With Virgo up front they have won five, drawn three, lost three and risen nine places. They will miss him on Saturday when he serves a one-match suspension.

"Given the uncertain start we made, what we are especially pleased about is that we have got our act together quickly," McGhee said.

"We knew the problem was at centre forward. What worried me at one point was I couldn't see how we were going to get over that, then we decided to play Virgs up there and it has worked for us.

"I think the boys will feel it is going to be a lot harder going to Sunderland without Virgs.

"We are under no illusions. Winning away at places like Leicester and Forest and beating Leeds is a great achievement for this bunch of young players.

"We are delighted. We are doing our best and that's all we can ask of them. We are punching above our weight, that's for sure."

Albion may only be flyweights in terms of finances and facilities, but they have no fear of the Championship heavyweights as they aim for a repeat of Millwall's 1-0 win under McGhee at Sunderland at the start of last season.

"I think the experience and drama of the play-offs last year, particularly the final, has been a massive lesson for our young players," McGhee said.

"Playing at Cardiff held us in good stead at Forest and Leicester and those games as well will hold us in good stead at Sunderland.

"The Stadium of Light, apart from the Millennium at Cardiff, is as good a stadium as we are likely to play at in the near future. I think it is the best stadium outside of the Premiership and better than most in the Premiership. It's a fantastic place to go and they have great supporters.

"I had two spells at Newcastle so I am more of a Newcastle man, but I still respect Sunderland as a club and great rivals for Newcastle.

"Big Mick and I played together for about three years at Celtic. He is a good pal, a top guy. They are in a sense another Leeds, who have been up there recently but are now in harder times.

"They are still in their early years with Mick and have a more pragmatic attitude now to getting back to where they have been."

As ever with Albion, every silver lining seems to have a cloud. In this instance it is Falmer as they enter their second year under McGhee. The delays over the new stadium could have serious repercussions on the playing side.

McGhee himself is only under contract for the rest of the season. He has already been told by chairman Dick Knight that his future, together with that of star players Danny Cullip and Leon Knight, cannot be resolved until a final decision on Falmer is known, and the season is expected to be almost over by then.

Ten of the 16 players on duty against Leeds last Saturday, and 14 in total, will be out of contract in the summer, including key figures like Michel Kuipers and Dan Harding.

Another, veteran defender Guy Butters, said: "If we'd had the ground and the finances had been right then everything would probably have been sorted by now.

"A lot of players' contracts are up in the summer. It all depends on what happens with the ground I suppose.

"I'm sure the chairman is desperate to sort out the manager's situation. Obviously he has got to come first and then, once the manager is in place, he can establish what he wants for the future. I am not 100 per cent sure what is going on behind the scenes, but the quicker they can sort things out the better."