Chris Hughton believes Albion’s resilience will be the basis for another Championship promotion challenge.

But they must turn more draws into wins to go one better than last season’s near-miss.

The Seagulls have won or drawn 50 of their last 57 league games, including a pair of 0-0 stalemates last season with Preston.

Hughton told The Argus: “There’s no doubt it adds to the squad and the group of players when you are not losing games.

“There is, of course, a difference between drawing a game at home and away from home. A draw at Ipswich, for example, at any stage is generally a good result.

“You have to supplement that by making sure you get the wins but it absolutely adds to the feel of a group if you are not losing games.

“The key is to get that balance and if I looked in particular at Middlesbrough and Burnley last season, they were very tough teams to play against.

“Middlesbrough conceded only eight goals at home all season, which is an incredible feat.”

Albion were pipped in the end for promotion by Middlesbrough by a difference of two goals after 17 draws.

Hughton added: “You can get that team bonding, that team feel, from being resilient, but ultimately you have got to go and win as many games as you can.

“One extra win last season from those draws would have got us promotion. I still think it’s a wonderful basis that you try to make yourself a difficult team to beat but you have got to have the quality to go and win games.”