Never mind the fact that it was pouring with rain or that Wrexham were as appealing as 'Big Michelle' from Pop Idol.

I was very disappointed with the Withdean attendance of 5,642 on Saturday.

Norman Gall and I popped into the Sportsman at around 2pm and I haven't seen as many tickets up for grabs since Adam Ant decided to play three nights at the Brighton Centre in December 1981.

I don't believe it's because Albion or whoever they may be playing are that unappealing. No, ludicrous red tape is helping create the situation.

There are thousands of people in Sussex who would like to go a watch the team play.

That will be proved if Albion go to either the LDV or the play-off final in Cardiff when I would estimate that in excess of 25,000 will make the trip across the Severn Bridge. In fact, in the case of the play-offs, that could be well over 30,000.

There is a school of thought within the local football fraternity that every game at Withdean is a sell out. Couple that with the fact that due to strict Football League rules covering all ticket matches the Albion have to have a cut-off point when they stop selling tickets and are banned from selling tickets on the gate.

So the Albion are somewhat dead in the water over tickets when it comes to games that don't initially sell out.

In some ways I can see where the League are coming from on the rule, but I think there should be a special dispensation for Brighton.

Clearly the Withdean situation is without parallel so why can't the Albion be allowed to sell tickets to fans on the gate if they can produce ID to say that they live within the club's catchment area?

If the Albion strictly adhered to this policy and obviously reverted to the all-ticket rule for certain games, I cannot see why the Football League can't let them do it.

The current situation ultimately costs Albion money and makes it look like they have a small fan base. The first point is not good, the second clearly not true.

Aside from the three horse race at the top, for the neutral football fan this year's Premiership is a fascinating contest.

With the financial riches which await successful clubs, finishing fourth and qualifying for the Champions League is now far more lucrative than winning either of the domestic cup competitions.

It's a well used phrase, but this season the race for that all important fourth place is wide open.

Liverpool and Newcastle look to have the pedigree to make it a straight fight, but there are possibly another half a dozen teams who, given a clean bill of health on the injury front and a relatively suspension free campaign, might think they have a real chance of making it onto football's equivalent of Millionaires Row.

But it's the other end which really interests me. The relegation battle is well and truly on and the wonderful thing is, and I can keep saying it until Albion finally enter the Premiership, there is nothing more entertaining than seeing supposedly big clubs face the dreaded drop.

This year could be the best yet because I really think anybody below tenth place is still very much in the relegation mix and that doesn't include Fulham who have got so high half the side are in the treatment room with nosebleeds.

A successful Division Two promotion campaign by Albion will be made all the more sweeter with the possibility of Tottenham, Southampton and Pompey coming down.

Couple that with Palace surviving just in Division One and the Albion faithful would almost be salivating at the prospect of the 2004-05 fixture list.

Wishful thinking on my part? Perhaps, but if the likes of Everton, Leeds, Villa and Blackburn do suddenly get their acts together then Hampshire's dynamic Premiership duo might just find themselves looking over their shoulders.

As Albion fans, we can only live in hope!