100 hundred years ago today, on a Monday evening in fact, our very own Brighton and Hove Albion beat the then Football League champions Aston Villa to win the FA Charity shield.

This amazing feat was achieved by the club even before the advent of manned flight, (well just) and was no doubt the greatest giant killing act of its time.

A modest crowd of 13,000 were assembled in Chelsea's Stamford Bridge for the early evening fixture.

It is not clear how many made the trip from Brighton and Hove, although it was reported that when Albion stalwart Charlie Webb scored the winner with around twenty minutes left, the goal was wildly cheered and received rapturous applause.

The result of course is etched permanently into the record books. And gives a sense of pride to Albion fans everywhere, who are perhaps a little starved of silverware to celebrate.

To this day there is a house on the Brighton side of Dyke Road that has a replica of the shield in its gable, which depicts the date the Albion won it.

I believe some replica commemorative merchandise will be available at Withdean this coming Saturday for a modest price.

Tonight I will raise a glass to those eleven men of one hundred years ago, who put our great club on the footballing map. I wonder how many made it back from the Great War?