Gus Poyet adds his congratulations - but Bruno finds it hard work to enjoy the promotion moment

The right-back revealed Poyet is among many former employees who have contacted him since a place in the Premier League was assured.

Albion have achieved what proved to be beyond Poyet and Oscar Garcia, whatever now happens in the title race. Oscar publicly congratulated his former club via social media.

But Poyet, who signed Bruno as a free agent almost five years ago, has been in touch more privately.

The Uruguayan infamously questioned Albion’s ability to reach the top flight after seeing them lose to Crystal Palace in the 2012-13 play-offs.

Bruno says Gus Poyet is pleased for Albion

Bruno told The Argus: “All of them have been in contact, from Gustavo Poyet, Oscar Garcia, players like Crofty (Andrew Crofts), Andrea Orlandi.

“They have been texting. There have been plenty of ex-Brighton players and it is really nice.

“Gustavo was really happy for the club and for me as well and that is really nice from him. We know how everything finished here but I think he still loves Brighton.”

Bruno believes those messages show the magnitude of what Albion achieved in securing promotion.

He is working hard not to let the glow of that feat be tarnished by a couple of what he believes were unfortunate defeats – but it is not easy sometimes.

The looks on the faces of Albion players doing interviews beneath the West Stand proved that. It was a strange juxtaposition – players wearing T-shirts bearing the words Premier League talking about a defeat.

Bruno attempted to make some sense of it and is in no doubt as to what the over-riding emotion should be. He believes that might explain why there has been a slight drop-off in performance levels in the last two matches.

Bruno leads the team out amid fantastic pre-match scenes at the Amex

Bruno said: “Our first aim was to get promoted. If you analyse the season, it has been unbelievable – and it has still been unbelievable.

“After targeting promotion, we are human and sometimes you relax.

“We are trying to come back stronger after winning promotion but it’s tough.

“I haven’t even thought about the Premier League yet. I am trying to enjoy the moment and I am going to try even harder now.

“It looks like, after two defeats, everyone is quite down. We have to analyse where we are and where we were.

“But we also need to enjoy the moment because these moments don’t happen often and they go by so quick. We have to enjoy them.”

Bruno knows what the stinging disappointment of a real home flop feels like. So do some of those who have texted him of late.

This was not it – despite the failure to crown what could have been an unforgettable occasion.

He did his best to shrug off the 1-0 reverse to Bristol City and led the team around on what clubs are usually very careful to describe as a lap of appreciation at the end of the final home league fixture.

This time, no dressing up was required. It was a lap of honour, pure and simple, despite what had gone just before.

Bruno enjoyed it in the presence of his wife Raquel and their two young children, Pol and Adriana.

Bristol City score the winner

Then he analysed the third home defeat of the season and a team performance which lacked cutting edge.

He said: “They didn’t create many chances. But it wasn’t our way of playing, it wasn’t our style.

“I don’t know how many crosses we had – and in the right areas as well. But normally we score from those types of crosses and it wasn’t the case.

“They dropped off, they waited their moment and they had one chance and took advantage.”

He added: “When we don’t play with our basics, it is difficult.

“We don’t know how to play another way. We were sloppy with some balls.

“We were getting in the right areas but the last pass wasn’t good. Normally what we do is we mix it.

“We play long or we play short. Normally we make the right decisions and this time we didn’t.

“It wasn’t our normal performance but even not being one of the best days we had more chances than them.

“We were unlucky as well. After the Norwich game we were really disappointed because of the way we lost. They didn’t have any shots on target and we conceded two goals.

“We had a lot of situations in good areas around the box in that game and we didn’t take advantage of that.

“I don’t know. We are missing something. But we have got another chance on Sunday and we have to work really hard to get that trophy.”