Martin Hinshelwood could be forgiven for waking up in a cold sweat on Saturday.

It was at the same stage two seasons ago that things started to go badly wrong for Albion's former manager.

The Seagulls had started encouragingly under Hinshelwood in the First Division, a 3-1 win at Burnley on the opening day followed by a 0-0 draw at home to Coventry.

Then a 2-0 setback against Norwich at Withdean launched a run of 12 straight defeats and Hinshelwood was axed.

Mark McGhee's side go into Saturday's visit by Coventry without a point after two games, but Hinshelwood is backing the young players he helped nurture to come through the mini-crisis.

Albion's director of football, director of youth before his brief spell as boss, said: "It is just a question of believing what the players can do and the ability they have got.

"From day one the hope is always to finish as high as you can, but with the position we are in at the moment with the stadium if we finish fourth from bottom I think it will feel like promotion.

"Two years on they are still virtually the same faces, so you have got to give the boys credit. They have dug in again after getting relegated.

"There is always something for the fans at the end of each season, but we want to establish ourselves in the Coca-Cola Championship."

Hinshelwood gave the youngsters a chance when he was in charge. Nephew Adam made his debut in that false dawn at Burnley.

Dan Marney, now at Crawley, Shaun Wilkinson, at Weymouth, Dean Hammond, Chris McPhee, Adam Virgo and Dan Harding all featured under him.

Harding has endured a nightmare start to the season.

He was responsible for Reading's third goal in last Saturday's opening 3-2 defeat at the Madejski Stadium and is suspended for the Coventry match after his red card in Tuesday's 2-0 home reverse against Plymouth.

Hinshelwood is confident Harding, Virgo and the rest will come good under McGhee.

"Sometimes younger players don't play with as much fear and can cope better than the senior players," he said.

"I think the younger players we've got have had a great experience over the last two or three years with all the ups and downs.

"They are very strong willed and personally I think the likes of Hinsh, Virgo, Harding and McPhee will all be able to cope with it.

"I've got every confidence in them.

"Perhaps we started too well when I was manager.

"I'm a great believer and I believe we have got the ability, together with a manager who has been at this level as well.

"People forget sometimes that I had never managed before, yet alone in the First Division, and there was only Robbie Pethick who had played there.

"Now the boys that got relegated have all had the experience of playing at that level and the manager is very experienced.

"I am sure he doesn't want to be in the First Division for the sake of it. He wants to be successful and finish as high as we can."