Ollie Norwood's move from Reading to Albion has not just strengthened Chris Hughton's central midfield options.

It has also demonstrated how the Seagulls have caught up and raced by tomorrow's hosts as a club capable of sustaining a place in the elite 30 of English football.

Norwood's swapping of a regular spot in the Reading line-up for fierce competition at the Amex resonates beyond the transfer of one player.

It is the climax to a near 20-year journey in which, for the most part, Albion lagged behind the Royals of Berkshire but have now steamed ahead of them.

The beginning of the long, uphill trek can be traced back to the turf Norwood used to call home, where Reading will be trying to wreck Albion's table-topping, unbeaten start to the season.

They moved from quaint old Elm Park to the modern, 24,000-capacity Madjeski Stadium - named after chairman John - in 1998.

Albion were homeless then, groundsharing with Gillingham. The clubs were not just leagues apart, they were worlds apart.

The disadvantages, once they were back in Brighton and Hove at Withdean, were overcome by Albion in the lower divisions as first Micky Adams, then Peter Taylor, steered them to successive promotions.

The higher Albion went the more transparent the pitfalls became of trying to compete in a converted athletics track with room only for four-figure crowds.

 

It was difficult to keep managers and players out of the clutches of more progressive rivals.

Steve Sidwell (below), after a free-scoring spell on loan from Arsenal, went to Reading.

The Argus: Steve Coppell, having failed narrowly to keep Albion in the Championship, followed suit.

Their choice could not be queried. Reading, four years into their new home, were going places, Albion treading water between the second and third tiers.

The chasm continuing to divide them was emphasised at the Madjeski in 2005-6.

Albion, promoted back to the Championship via the play-offs under Mark McGhee, were thrashed 5-1. McGhee, who took Reading up in their Elm Park era, must have surveyed the scene enviously.

Albion went on to be relegated, Reading promoted to the Premier League as champions for the first time in their history with a record-breaking haul of 106 points.

They finished eighth in their first season and, while Albion meandered in League One, lost out twice in the play-offs after going down in their second season in the top flight.

Even when Albion initially moved into the Amex in 2011-12 there was a difference.

Reading were promoted once more. The following season they were relegated again as Albion just missed out on overtaking them under Gus Poyet, yet Wayne Bridge chose to sign for the Royals rather than the Seagulls.

It was a familiar story but the Bridge gradually closed.

In 2013-14 Oscar Garcia's Albion reached the play-offs with Leo Ulloa's last-gasp goal at Nottingham Forest. Who missed out as a result? Reading.

Off the pitch, the Seagulls were still playing catch-up in the transfer market.

Last summer, the superior financial muscle of Reading, taken over in 2012 by Russian Anton Zingarevich, enabled them to beat Albion to the loan capture of Watford's Czech striker Matej Vydra.

It proved to be an unwise move. As Albion thrive under Hughton's steadying hand, Reading are on a downward spiral, destabilised by seven managers in five years since the six-year reign of Coppell and, prior to that, Alan Pardew's four years in charge.

Following finishes of 19th and 17th, they have made a choice which echoes Albion's flawed appointment of Sami Hyypia.

The Finn and Jaap Stam were centre-half rivals for Liverpool and Manchester United during their playing careers.

Handing the Dutchman his first managerial role after spells as an assistant coach at FC Zwolle and Ajax looks like a gamble.

Stam has his work cut out to arrest Reading's decline. Meanwhile, Albion march onwards and upwards.

The Argus: Norwood, Sidwell, Glenn Murray (above left) and Liam Rosenior (right) all served the Berkshire club in periods of their careers.

As they walk back out onto the pitch at the Madejski Stadium tomorrow, the Albion quartet can feel assured they are in a better place now.