ALBION chief Gus Poyet has hailed Inigo Calderon as one of his best signings.

Right-back Calderon’s stunning first half strike set up Saturday’s 2-0 win against Bristol City at The Amex.

It was only the second game back from keyhole surgery for the swashbuckling Spaniard, who nearly joined Southampton two summers ago after Poyet snapped him up on a free transfer in January 2010.

Poyet told The Argus: “I’ve got no doubt he is one of my best signings. We nearly lost him. He was going, remember, and we were lucky to somehow keep him. That is something we were all pleased about, including me.

“I said at that time he wasn’t going to play for us again, because I was 90 per cent sure he was leaving, and then we talked on the phone and we got him back.

“He is so important. Last year he scored eight goals. This is his first (of the season). Let’s see if he can score another seven.”

Calderon’s angled shot from outside the box gave former England keeper David James no chance and James was beaten again in the second half, Will Buckley rounding him to complete Albion’s fifth home league victory out of six.

Calderon, captain again in the absence of the suspended Gordon Greer, said: “I was always happy here. I love Brighton and the city, the fans the team and the staff and the new ground. That (Southampton) happened a while ago. I am only looking forward.

“It was my first game in two months without pain in my knee, so that’s great. We played well for 90 minutes. They didn’t have too many chances, apart from at the end. We defended very well and it’s a clean sheet again, which is very important for us.

“If we keep a clean sheet we know we will have chances up front and have people with the quality to score.”