Albion boss Chris Hughton says the party is over for him and his staff.

But he expects to be waiting a while before formulating his squad for the Premier League.

Sunday’s seafront parade, watched by an estimated 100,000 people, drew a line for Hughton under the celebrations for promotion. He told The Argus: “It’s always more difficult for me to enjoy as much as other people can.

“I’ve been where the players are at this particular moment and they deserve every single bit of it. I can enjoy it to a degree but I have to manage a club next season that desperately wants to stay in the division.

“The hard work has started and the hard work will continue right the way through.”

Recruiting players capable of making a difference to Albion’s Premier League prospects has been on the agenda since promotion was clinched a month ago.

Hughton added: “We are where most clubs are at this stage of the season. As much as we work and watch players and plan, generally most of the work gets done late. It’s how the industry is.

“We’ve got to make sure if we are bringing anybody in that we feel they can improve the team. We’ve managed to do that over the last few windows.

“There won’t be wholesale changes but we will look to improve the team and the squad. The balance is you never know until the season progresses.

“There are lots of examples of teams that have gone into the Premier League and held their own. What ever way we do it, we’ve got to look to do the same.”