Albion's Centenary Evening of Legends brought together a Who's Who of players past and present to crown a wonderful Championship-winning season.

It was a spectacular night of celebration, re-unions and huge dollops of nostalgia at The Brighton Centre.

From Peter Ward to Bobby Zamora, through Jimmy McNichol (1940s), Dave Sexton (50s), Bobby Smith (60s), Mark Lawrenson (70s), Danny Wilson (80s) and Robbie Reinelt (90s), every word they uttered was from the heart as they reflected on their passion for the Seagulls.

They also paid tribute to the supporters who have remained loyal despite the sale of the Goldstone Ground and a desperate last-day battle to stay in the league four years ago.

Wilson, now a respected manager with Bristol City, said: "It was a tremendous night and shows how the club has gone forward despite adversity and a lot of that is down to the fans themselves. They've got to be proud of themselves."

Ward, the club's favourite player of all time, added: "Bobby Zamora might break my scoring record, but it won't change the fans' opinion of me. I love Brighton and won't ever forget it."

Pop DJ Norman Cook, aka Fatboy Slim, whose record label Skint sponsor Albion, spoke for the supporters. He said: "It's nice to be part of the celebrations. It's our club.

"Even through the dark times we thought there might be a light at the end of the tunnel and finally there appears to be one.

"I missed the fun and frolics of the last three games because I was touring in America. My father in law sent me a text message after the Chesterfield match which just said 'Aaaaaah!' It's been a brilliant year."

Zamora, who hit 31 goals, confessed he had learned a lesson after his night at The Centre.

He said: "It was fantastic. I didn't really know too much about Brighton but I've learned a lot about it from the old players. There's a lot of tradition and passion."

There were some technical hitches but Albion fan Des Lynam, with backing from Peter Brackley, Paul Hayward and the Fast Show's Mark Williams, conducted ceremonies with customary smoothness even when an uninvited punter invaded the stage. Nostalgia ruled as historic landmarks were touched on through the decades.

The Championship winning teams of 1958 and 1965 were recalled along with other promotions, the 1983 FA Cup final, the sale of Mark Beeney that saved the hard-up club from going out of business and Reinelt's goal that preserved Albion's league status at Hereford.

The daughter of Charlie Webb, Albion's manager in 1919, spoke on screen and former chairman Mike Bamber's wife Jean made an appearance.

Brian Clough, Steve Foster, Alan Mullery, Jimmy Melia and just about anyone connected with the club got a namecheck.

Chairman Dick Knight said: "I got Micky Adams in on a dream. But even when you are in the gutter you can look at the stars."

Fatboy Slim raised £4,000 by auctioning off his gold disc for a million European sales of "We've Come A Long Way Baby." He said: "I phoned Zoe and she put it in a cab. It was a real last minute thing."