Tommy Elphick has thanked the Albion colleagues and fans who helped him surpass even his own great expectations.

Elphick was unused sub on the opening day when the Seagulls went down 2-1 at Crewe.

Fast forward nine months and he picked up player-of-the-year honours to choruses of "There's only one Tommy Elphick" from the Withdean stands at the end of a momentous season.

Having got his chance in the second game of the campaign, when Kerry Mayo was left out of the League Cup tie at Cardiff City, he established himself as a defensive rock and piled up 38 league appearances, with 11 cleansheets, two goals and just four bookings along the way.

Elphick had a taste of first-team football in 2006/07 and did pretty well.

But, asked if he expected quite such a good campaign this time, the 20-year-old local boy said: "Hindsight is a wonderful thing. I'm looking back now and thinking yeah, I always knew I was going to do it'.

"But if you had asked me that question away to Crewe I'd have said no chance'.

"My advice to any player looking to break in is you have just got to take your chance.

"Have faith in your own ability. The coaching staff had faith in me."

There was plenty of talk ahead of the game that Elphick or Nicky Forster would be crowned top man for the campaign.

Either would have been a worthy winner.

Elphick did not realise what was coming until almost the last moment.

He said: "I found out about five minutes before we had to come out.

"It's a great accolade to me and I've got to thank the fans and everyone who has helped me get there. All the coaches from when I was at the centre of excellence through to the gaffer, Martin Hinshelwood, my family and obviously the players.

"That's Whingy, who I have played with every game this year and he has been an absolute warrior next to me.

"Guy Butters, who is absolutely priceless to play with. You learn so much from him. What he has taught me this year is just incredible.

"Adam El-Abd is another. We formed a great partnership in the middle part of the season.

"And even down to people like Sam Rents and Matt Richards who have all played their part.

"Then obviously I finished with Joel Lynch and if we can get that partnership going again next season the way we have ended this season then we'll be keeping more cleansheets.

"I've got to give a mention to Adam Hinshelwood as well. He has had torrid luck over the last three years but he's the first one to come up to me before a game and wish me good luck and the first one to come up in the dressing room afterwards telling me well done'."

With 43 appearances in all, it has been a long season for Elphick, as it has for many of his colleagues.

Not that they would objected to three more fixtures in the play-offs.

But, as Swansea celebrated their title away at the West Stand, you could almost sense Albion looking forward to 2008/09, especially if they can knock the ball about like they did at times in the first half against the champions.

Elphick said: "I felt we held our own. We played some great football (in the first half). That's probably the most football we have played all season and that was our aim before the game.

"That was the sort of football we want to be producing more of next season.

"The games are hard. They take a lot out of you, especially March when we had that massive run of fixtures.

"I felt surprisingly fresh today. The last couple of games had been taking their toll on me but today I felt fresh and sharp."

How do you rate Tommy Elphick's progress?