Anthony Knockaert has seen this script before, now he is ready to grab title

The euphoria of promotion, the celebration followed by an understandable dip in the next match.

And then the crowning glory of taking the crown in clinical fashion with a win.

That is why Albion’s player of the season is confident they will respond to last Friday’s defeat at Norwich by doing the job at home to Bristol City.

It would be a second Championship title in four seasons for Knockaert.

But an Albion winger of the past could yet complete his own Seagulls title double of sorts and leave his old club with a formality tomorrow.

Craig Noone started for the Seagulls at Walsall when a 3-1 success secured the League One honours in 2010-11.

Noone, now at Cardiff, has had an up and down time under current boss Neil Warnock and is by no means a certain starter against Newcastle tonight when a defeat for the Magpies would hand Albion the title.

But, if selected, it might be just like the little Scouser, who helped the Bluebirds win the division four seasons ago, to turn on some magic against Rafa Benitez’s men.

Knockaert is quite prepared for Albion to do the job themselves and vividly remembers what happened in 2013-14.

Having won promotion at the weekend, Leicester returned home and were thumped 4-1 in midweek by an Albion side looking to break into the play-off positions.

They responded with a decent draw at Reading and a win at home to QPR. That reduced the target to three points, which were picked up in a 1-0 success at Bolton.

Knockaert told The Argus: “It is exactly the same situation. I was talking with the lads about that.

“The game after we went up, we lost 4-1 to Brighton at home.

“It’s never nice for the players and the managers when you lose the next game. But it is not over. We need three points and we are at home again.

“It is now completely up to us to finish the job. We know we have a great record at home this season. I’m sure we will be able to do it.”

Four years ago, Leicester left themselves all but promoted with a 2-1 home win, against Sheffield Wednesday in their case.

They then received confirmation thanks to results elsewhere later on.

One difference back then was that Leicester played on Friday and the other games were on Saturday, meaning the party was not quite as good. It certainly was not shared with 30,000 of their own fans.

The comedown was pretty crushing at the hands of the Seagulls, whose own fans did not seem too perturbed last Friday by losing to Norwich.

Stakes will be higher tomorrow, though, if Newcastle have done the job at Cardiff.

Knockaert said: “We have had a great week for us to prepare. We know three points will bring us there. We’ll try everything we can and hopefully we can make it happen.”

Glenn Murray scored the goal which edged Albion into a 2-1 lead on the day they clinched the League One title.

It was always a formality anyway. There were still four games to go after that. This time it could yet get a bit tighter. If Newcastle do their job tonight and Albion slip up tomorrow, a last-day decider would be in store with the Seagulls visiting Villa Park, a ground where they have never won.

The flipside is that Albion could be champions tonight. And maybe there is another similarity with Knockaert’s experiences of 2014 in waiting.

Back then, the man who did most to upset Leicester’s promotion party was Albion striker Leo Ulloa, who crowned his side’s win at the King Power with two goals.

The man who did most to put Albion’s Champagne on ice last Friday was Alex Pritchard.

True, he did not score, although the PA announcer at Carrow Road tried his best to give him the first goal. But his shots were the closest Norwich came to getting anything on target and were a big reason why they won the game.

Ulloa ended up at Leicester. So could Pritchard end up at Albion after all?

That is purely guesswork – and mischievous guesswork at that. But it is based on two facts.

We know Albion were very keen to spend big money on him last summer.

And we can have no doubts about how ruthlessly motivated he is to get to the Premier League.

That is for the summer. For now there is a title to be won. Albion’s French magician will settle for a case of déjà vu.

Albion could become the first team to secure the Championship title before the final day since Leicester City in 2014. The Foxes still had to two games to go when they secured the crown.
The last two titles have both been secured on the final day at Charlton. Two years ago, Atdhe Nuhiu’s late goal for Sheffield Wednesday at Watford allowed Bournemouth to grab top spot by winning 3-0 at the Valley.
Burnley celebrated at the same venue last year when they beat the Addicks 3-0. Two points clear at kick-off, that result ensured they were champions although, as it turned out, they did not need the points with Middlesbrough and Albion drawing at the Riverside.