While Big Sam kicks himself about losing the England job, Albion's little Sam has a huge opportunity of his own.

Sam Baldock played under Sam Allardyce for a season at West Ham.

He helped them to promotion from the Championship via the play-offs, well sort of.

Baldock was closer to Allardyce than he would have wished, because he spent most of that year on the bench before he was flogged to Bristol City.

Albion bought him from City for around £1.5 million three summers ago but it has not really happened so far with the Seagulls for the nippy striker.

It is not entirely Baldock's fault. He has been beset by niggling injuries, sometimes played out of position.

The fact remains he has struggled to produce what he was bought for - goals.

Baldock has scored only nine in 55 Championship appearances. Combine that with his modest record at West Ham and he is in danger of being pigeon-holed as a flat-track bully, capable of plundering the lower divisions with Bristol City and MK Dons but exposed as lightweight against tougher opposition.

Now, at 27, a prime time in his career, the moment has arrived when Baldock can prove all the doubters wrong, join Albion's hall of fame.

He has it in him. You only have to look back to the last game at Sheffield Wednesday for evidence of his finishing ability.

There have been other examples, against Arsenal, his old club Bristol City and Ipswich (below).

The Argus: Those goals stick in the memory for two reasons, because of their quality but also because they have been all too rare.

If Norwich had not hijacked Albion's move for Alex Pritchard then Baldock's chances to shine might have been few and far between.

Similarly, if the Seagulls had signed another striker in the transfer window, then Baldock would again have been vulnerable to limited game time.

He needs to capitalise on these strokes of luck, because right now he has a lot going for him.

He is right when he says Albion boast impressive strength in depth and that Chris Hughton often takes a horses for courses approach.

The manager is prepared to change a winning team depending on the nature of the next opponents.

So Baldock's spot alongside Glenn Murray against Preston at the Amex on Saturday is not guaranteed, particularly after Tomer Hemed's three goals in two games for Israel.

What he can offer is something Murray and Hemed cannot when they are paired together, pace and the threat of running off and in behind defenders.

Baldock has thrived most during his career when combining with a traditional-type centre-forward like Murray or Hemed.

Hughton has tried Anthony Knockaert and Jamie Murphy in the No.10 role earmarked for Pritchard. It did not really work.

The versatile Solly March is still some way off being a first team starting option again after his lengthy knee injury and Elvis Manu, despite his improvement, remains only a fringe option for Hughton.

The potential is there, an injury-free run permitting, for Baldock to get plenty of minutes between now and the January window, when Albion can re-assess.

As his former boss contemplates the costly error of his loose-tongue ways, little Sam can be big for Albion.