He warned it would be a tough night for Albion.

But former Seagulls and Huddersfield defender Kieran O’Regan admitted he never thought it would get quite that one-sided between two of his former clubs.

O’Regan, who gave The Argus the lowdown on Huddersfield’s big summer buys on Tuesday, was stunned by the Terriers’ subsequent 7-1 demolition of the Seagulls.

He pulled no punches when asked for his verdict on what had unfolded in the magnificent surroundings in the Galpharm Stadium.

O’Regan, the former defender who now works for BBC Radio Leeds, said: “I’m shellshocked to be honest.

“From the second half especially I think Brighton have got to look at themselves.

“They got themselves back in the game with a hell of a strike by Liam Dickinson, and that’s what he is capable of.

“But to lose a goal so soon afterwards, it was basic defending.

“If the ball is bobbling in and around your penalty area, clear it!

“They failed to clear it and it’s 2-1.”

O’Regan admitted the game was beyond the visitors once they lost Michel Kuipers and went 3-1 down.

He said: “We were saying then if it finishes 3-1 it’s a good result for Brighton. But the way they gave up in the second period, it could have been ten.

“You’ve got to have sympathy for the manager standing there watching that because the defending was kamikaze at times.

“Brighton have got to pick themselves up, put in a performance on Saturday and get this out of their system.

“The players need to sit down themselves and have a conversation because they were like ten strangers in the second half.

“There were people running past people.

“I’ve got a soft spot for Brighton. It was my first club but it was embarrassing to watch to be honest.”

By contrast, O’Regan’s other club could not be on more of a high right now.

Albion boss Russell Slade hinted in his post-match interview that Huddersfield could win the title.

O’Regan said: “With the squad they have got and the investment the chairman is prepared to put into the club, they will go close.

“It’s a great stadium, the fans get behind them.

“All they have got up here is what Brighton really need.

“The stadium is a couple of years off for Brighton, that doesn’t help the situation.”