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The best teams in the country don't just have the best players, they also work tremendously hard. It is a quality all too rarely appreciated but sheer endeavour was the essence of Albion's most notable scalp of the season. Perspiration, allied to

Albion are turning Withdean into a fortress again and that trend could be crucial as they fight for their First Division lives. The Seagulls are starting to recapture their formidable home form of the past two title-winning seasons. Wolves, Millwall

Chris Greenacre's late strike condemned Albion to defeat in a tense basement battle. The former Mansfield marksman swept in a low cross from lively second-half sub Lewis Neal on 83 minutes. It was hard on the Albion defence and veteran keeper Dave

They say every cloud has a silver lining and Albion emerged from a bleak second half with reasons to believe the sun is still shining on their survival bid. Strange as it seems, they are marginally better off following their first League defeat by

Anthony Rougier, only half-fit and not even knowing the names of most of his new team-mates, could hardly have made a more remarkable debut. Last season he scored once in 33 League games for Reading and that goal did not arrive until April. Two

Ben Roberts completed his month on loan from Charlton with a wonder save as Albion chalked up consecutive victories for the first time in ten months. Goals win games but so can goalkeepers. That was certainly the case at Valley Parade on Saturday.

It has been a roller-coaster few days in the footballing life of Gary Hart. The Albion striker has been through a wide range of emotions, from the desolation of a red card against Wimbledon last Tuesday to the exhilaration of clinching an astonishing

Dave Beasant saved a second half penalty for ten-man Albion against his former club, but it was not enough to rescue the Seagulls from a damaging defeat. Steve Coppell's men were already 2-1 down and down to ten men when the veteran keeper marked his

Albion boss Steve Coppell thought it the best performance of his reign while a long-serving local hack described it as the luckiest win he has seen in 40 years of covering Walsall. As for the watching Pete Waterman, a lifelong Saddlers supporter, it

Immediately after a well-deserved stalemate for Albion against the table-toppers, boss Steve Coppell expressed disappointment that they did not hold on for a win. By the time he had driven home to Croydon a draw in the midday kick-off had become even

Albion bowed out of the FA Cup to complete a night of triple misery for Steve Coppell's beleaguered battlers. They lost Steve Sidwell, Michel Kuipers and an entertaining rescheduled third round tie after threatening to defy the odds stacking up against

Steve Coppell's meticulous management style almost helped Albion to three precious points at Highfield Road. If the Seagulls fail to survive the drop it won't be for the want of trying. The players give their all and so does Coppell in his preparations

Steve Sidwell's late double act silenced the Withdean whingers who are undermining Albion's battle to beat the drop. His pointsaving brace put to shame the so-called supporters whose stick for certain players has got under Steve Coppell's skin as well

Steve Sidwell secured Albion's best win of the season, then gave all the credit to his team-mates for their defensive qualities. The young Arsenal loan signing's third goal in ten games gave the Seagulls a knockout Boxing Day victory which left promotion-chasing

Albion suffered their fourth defeat in seven matches as Leicester manager Micky Adams made a triumphant return to his old club. A lapse of concentration cost Steve Coppell's Seagulls dear in the 73rd minute, the unmarked Brian Deane heading home a

I put it to Steve Coppell after this most galling of defeats that the best referees are the ones you don't see. "We saw plenty of this one," the Albion chief remarked bitterly. Far too much in fact for Coppell's liking, not just during the game

Bobby Zamora's wonder strike earned Albion the point they needed to climb off the foot of the First Division. The Seagulls' star striker curled in his sixth goal in 14 games this season from 20 yards on the stroke of half-time. Ipswich fought back

Steve Coppell was asked after a basement battle brimming with apprehension whether Wednesday's last-gasp equaliser could damage confidence. The thoughtful Albion chief considered the proposition before responding: "We will find out on Tuesday."

Albion and Reading have gone in different directions since promotion but their futures for the rest of this season could revolve around a connected issue. The struggling Seagulls are missing Graham Barrett, the regal Royals will miss his fellow loan

Albion's revival came to an end against a slick Forest side, but only after another spirited late fight-back. Steve Coppell's injury-hit Seagulls were no match for the East Midlanders in the first half, as Marlon Harewood (8) and David Johnson (45)

One of the finest forward performances you could wish to see helped Albion to another priceless point in their fight against relegation. It is not so much a question of if as when Bobby Zamora ends up in the Premiership. He may not have got on the

Goals for Kerry Mayo are as rare as wins for Albion have been this season. The stalwart defender's biggest claim to scoring fame was putting through his own net at Hereford five years ago, which threatened to dump the Seagulls out of the Football League

Albion ended a run of seven straight away defeats with an excellent point. A Premiership class finish by Bobby Zamora, his fifth goal in nine games this season, gave Steve Coppell's Seagulls a shock 15th minute lead. Albion were the better side

It has taken three matches and plenty of heartache, but Steve Coppell has now stamped his mark on Albion's uphill battle for First Division survival. The subtle changes made by the manager renowned for thriving in adversity helped the Seagulls to their

A dozen years ago Steve Coppell went back to his home city of Liverpool as the manager of Crystal Palace. His team suffered a humiliating 9-0 drubbing at Anfield in front of his family and friends, but Coppell kept them in the old First Division.

Steve Coppell's first words after an astonishing contest were: "I would have been quite content with a boring game." It took 90 minutes for the new manager to discover Albion don't do boring. Six goals, a hat-trick, two penalties, crowd unrest and

Once a manager is expected to fall off the merry-go-round there are always others ready to leap back on. Vicarage Road on Saturday was no exception. Former Portsmouth chief Graham Rix was in Watford's biggest crowd of the season as Martin Hinshelwood

Albion manager Martin Hinshelwood is clinging to his job by his fingertips after this grim defeat. Indeed, chairman Dick Knight is probably at this very moment considering how he can make another change at the top without losing face. How he can

Depleted Albion made a predictable exit from the Worthington Cup, but they went out fighting and gave Ipswich an early fright from an unexpected source. Dean Hammond celebrated his full debut with a rare goal which fleetingly promised an upset before

Albion must have thought they had already used up all their bad luck this season. They were wrong. Alan Lee's long-range lob over the stranded Andy Petterson in the 20th minute was one of the fishiest match-winners you are ever likely to see. To

Steve Cotterill urged Albion chairman Dick Knight to give Martin Hinshelwood time after his side heaped more misery on the unfortunate Seagulls chief. The Stoke boss and former Albion loan signing vigorously defended Hinshelwood amid fears that Knight

Albion slumped to their sixth straight defeat and third at Withdean to continue their sorry return to the First Division. Hinshelwood must be scratching his head to understand the amount of silly and uncharacteristic mistakes which his side are gifting

Albion came from behind to fight their way through to the second round of the Worthington Cup. Barry McConnell gave third division toilers Exeter a shock fifth minute lead with a penalty conceded by Guy Butters. Shaun Wilkinson, deputising for Paul

Martin Hinshelwood joked after the defeat at leaders Portsmouth that he must have killed about eight black cats. The terrible luck plaguing Albion's manager shows no sign of easing up after this case of low fives in South London. A fifth League

Albion might be in the mire at the moment, but they will survive this season if they continue the form they showed in a pulsating south coast derby. Don't take my word for it, listen to what Paul Merson had to say after an eventful fourth defeat in

Withdean's reputation as a fortress for Albion took another knock as Walsall condemned them to a comfortable third straight defeat. Two goals in the space of a minute early on by the Saddlers' cosmopolitan front pair Steve Corica and Jorge Leitao knocked

Albion boss Martin Hinshelwood is in plaster and on a crutch after rupturing his left Achilles in a freak training ground accident. But that is nothing compared to the pain he felt watching his side's meek surrender of their 100 per cent away record

It had to happen sooner or later. I don't mean a Saturday home defeat for Albion, or the first one as manager for Martin Hinshelwood. The former hadn't occurred for more than two-and-a-half years, the latter for nine if you include Hinsh's fleeting

Albion had to settle for parity after Coventry played more than half the match with ten men. They had young central defender Calum Davenport sent off on 39 minutes for lashing out at Robbie Pethick. The Seagulls were unable to make their numerical

Martin Hinshelwood had the media chuckling after a magnificent start for him and his team when he declared: "Sod it, I'm going to resign now!" He was joking, of course, but the sentiment of his remark was appreciated. Can it possibly get much better

Danny Cullip was the first player in blue and white stripes many Albion fans in Cardiff would have glimpsed yesterday. A giant image of the skipper flashed on to the screens behind either goal at the Millennium Stadium as he waited to lead his men

Adam Virgo emerged as the unlikely hero as Albion snatched a place in the play-off final at Cardiff from the jaws of despair. Sam Parkin's 81st minute strike for Swindon, his 23rd of the season and fourth against the Seagulls, wiped out the first leg

Mark McGhee will today draw up the masterplan which can turn this most precious of away wins into another trip down the M4 and a play-off final appearance. The Seagulls have their noses in front for Thursday's semi-final second leg at Withdean, thanks

It is a well proven theory. The team entering the play-offs in the best frame of mind often emerge victorious. Albion's hopes of an instant return to the First Division remain in the balance, but in terms of mood they may just have an edge over the

Albion supporters with their tickets already booked for the play-offs can expect more of what they saw in the narrow victory which has secured their place in the end-of-season lottery. It is likely to be mighty tight over two legs, who ever they face

Albion's first away point for three matches was accompanied by an important fringe benefit. In the context of a possible dress rehearsal for the play-offs, the Seagulls certainly did not fluff their lines. They have emerged from a rather drab show

Start consulting your diaries. Only an improbable set of circumstances can deny Albion a play-off place now after a solid eighth home win out of nine. In theory they need five points from Saturday's trip to Bristol City, their remaining outing at Withdean

Crazy isn't it? A depressing deadlock against a team nosediving towards the relegation zone has actually improved Albion's prospects of reaching the play-offs. They were not alone in discovering the League table counts for little at this fraught stage

Albion went into today's seaside showdown against Blackpool at Bloomfield Road without their talismanic captain Danny Cullip. He was missing from the starting line-up for the second match in succession because of a thigh injury sustained in the home

Mark McGhee, take a bow. A clever piece of motivation, straight from the manual of his mentor Alex Ferguson, left his leading marksman with a point to prove. A tactical change by the Second Division manager of the month for March then helped Leon Knight

Mark McGhee is clinging on to the belief that Albion can finish in second place after a set of results epitomising the tension of chasing promotion. A heartbreaking first defeat in eight matches for his side was softened slightly by the failure of

Mark McGhee and his players are making all the right noises. You know the sort of thing; still a lot of hard work to be done to make the play-offs, taking games one at a time. McGhee's cautious guard just slipped slightly though when I asked him

Chris Iwelumo could not in his wildest dreams have imagined making a more dramatic impact on his debut for Albion. The giant Scot blew away Chesterfield's five-month undefeated record at windswept Saltergate in spectacular fashion. An explosive

Only Albion's third point from the last 24 away from Withdean meant so much more in the arduous quest for a play-off place. Avoiding defeat was very much a case of mission accomplished, as it has deprived Vale the opportunity of using their game in

First the good news. Leon Knight and Trevor Benjamin were back on top form at Withdean as Albion swept aside a Tranmere team with other matters on their minds. Knight and Benjamin were both on target in a comfortable fifth straight home win over the

Perhaps Albion should abandon the move to Falmer and remain at Withdean. Before I am pilloried I am, of course, only joking. Partly joking anyway, because there is one respect in which Albion will sorely miss dear old Withdean. This latest hard

Adam Virgo's star sign is rising by the day but he was upstaged by another of Albion's young prospects. Virgo's first senior goal, a towering header, secured a scruffy point from a dour encounter at Edgeley Park. He was, however, the first to acknowledge

It is only one word but it divides the best from the rest - consistency. That is what Mark McGhee is demanding from his players now as they aim for their first away win since November at struggling Stockport on Saturday. Albion's promotion challenge

Just over a fortnight ago their goals sunk leaders Plymouth at Withdean and they looked like a promotion-securing partnership. Now, after one point from trips to Wycombe, Luton and Grimsby, manager Mark McGhee is pointing the finger at Trevor Benjamin

Earlier in the day the Whitehall offices of deputy Prime Minister John Prescott were bombarded with flowers as part of the campaign for Falmer. Unfortunately, there is still no sign of Albion's away form blossoming again. A comprehensive defeat

He may have an ordinary name but a quite extraordinary sequence of events has plunged Stuart Jones into the thick of Albion's challenge for a play-off place. Last week Jones thought his club-hopping career in non-league football was about to continue

It is more than two years since Micky Adams left Albion for Leicester, but the bond he developed with his old club is as strong as ever. Such deep-rooted affection persuaded Adams to lend Trevor Benjamin to the hard-up Seagulls when a loan spell at

Football has an unwritten rule that what goes around comes around. Luck, legend decrees, evens itself out over the course of a season. In Albion's case the scales of justice have been balanced much sooner, in just seven days in fact. Don't get me

Charlie Oatway is resigned to some friendly ribbing from members of his family in the next few weeks, but roles could so easily have been reversed. Oatway, like the rest of his clan an avid Rangers supporter, was denied the opportunity by referee Mark

Albion's failure to score at Withdean for only the second time this season emphasised an absence of strength in depth to sustain an automatic promotion challenge. With their best 11 available the Seagulls are a match for any side in the Second Division

Running out of time: McGhee tries in vain to urge his players on during a frustrating afternoon at Withdean Albion's failure to score at Withdean for only the second time this season emphasised an absence of strength in depth to sustain an automatic

Albion's away day blues are threatening to destroy their challenge for an immediate return to Division One. Another narrow defeat on the road has cost them valuable ground in the race for automatic promotion. The Seagulls have now lost away in the

Before this Boxing Day feast it would have been unthinkable, but Leon Knight's place is suddenly under threat. Albion's suspended top scorer looked on enviously as his team-mates cantered to their biggest victory since Watford were beaten by the same

Much of the work Mark McGhee has done since becoming Albion's manager has concentrated on the shape of the side and the defence. The alarming leaking of goals, ten in his first four matches, has been successfully addressed. Now McGhee is turning

Albion spurned the chance to put pressure on the two teams above them at rainswept Withdean. Mark McGhee's men were good value for an interval lead provided by Leon Knight's 17th goal of the season from the penalty spot after 16 minutes. An inspired

Albion's narrow exit from the LDV Vans Trophy was overshadowed by a simmering feud which has developed with promotion rivals Rangers. It manifested itself in Sunday's clash at Loftus Road with the contrasting version of events from the managers, Mark

The messages have taken a little while to sink in, but Mark McGhee is gradually moulding Albion back into shape. The first home League win of his reign wasn't pretty, but it was thoroughly professional in difficult conditions. Wrexham never threatened

One question dominated the post match inquests after Albion had lit up a grey Nottingham afternoon with their sparkling attacking work. What chance them repeating the performance when a packed defence arrives looking to nullify them at Withdean?

The message from Mark McGhee could not have been clearer. Heads are going to roll and players who want to avoid decapitation must buck their ideas up. McGhee did not mince his words after his first home League game in charge resulted in Albion's

He answered our questions afterwards honestly and politely, but inside Mark McGhee must have been seething. A limp FA Cup exit against a team showing far more appetite will surely only hasten the Scot's search for signings. Now that Albion return

Every cloud has a silver lining and that was certainly the case for Albion in Mark McGhee's first home match in charge at rainswept Withdean. The cloud was the extended struggle to see off plucky opponents from the lower reaches of the Third Division

The new headmaster's first match report was intriguing. The Albion players were awarded an A for effort by Mark McGhee, something more like a C for aptitude. His pupils just about passed the test by ending the run of three defeats before McGhee

The Albion players, to their credit, have consistently refused to use it as an excuse, but Sammy McIlroy spoke the truth which is plain for all to see. The managerial uncertainty created by Steve Coppell's departure to Reading has had a devastatating

It was like a red rag to a bull. Micky Adams could not believe what he was hearing on his way back from a scouting mission at Bournemouth. Fans were berating Bob Booker on Ian Hart's post-match phone-in on Southern Counties Radio. Adams, not the

Gary Hart summed up Albion's third League defeat of the season in five words - "We let the manager down". The previous two were by the same score away from home, at Barnsley and Colchester, but this was the worst. It wasn't for the want of trying

Wayne Jackman is in error regarding the joint planning application by Cardinal Newman School and Brighton and Hove Hockey Club to build multi-sport pitches and a pavilion on private land behind the school (Letters, July 18). There will be no "demand for

Regarding letters in The Argus on July 15 about council tax. A Brighton and Hove City Council spokeswoman states it is its duty to pursue non-payment of council tax. Why, then, can't it do the same for council tenants who do not pay their rent? Some say

I would like to say a special thank you to the young man who helped me get to my feet in Titian Road on Sunday, July 9, at 9.30am. I had a blackout and on becoming aware again, could not get up from the pavement. I tried as hard as I could but the rain

A British couple whose dream retirement home on Cyprus has become the subject of an international legal storm over property rights on the divided island have taken their case to the High Court. David and Linda Orams, of Hove, bought an idyllic plot in

The owner of Hastings Pier has withdrawn its security staff after being forced by the High Court to keep the attraction open. Ravenclaw Investments planned to close the pier on Sunday after failing to reach an agreement with Hastings Borough Council about

The lack of square meals in the Big Brother house has been providing housemates with food for thought. Tempers have steadily risen since Jayne's constant rulebreaking led to severe rationing of the food budget. Brighton contestant Pete Stephenson revealed

I thoroughly endorse your second leader (The Argus, July 12) calling on Brighton and Hove City Council to back Councillor Francis Tonks's petition asking Foreign Secretary, Margaret Beckett, to visit Brighton to discuss the case of Guantanamo Bay detainee

Network Rail has announced that the industrial action expected to take place this coming Friday and Saturday has been suspended. For more information go to: www.southernrailway.com/news.php?id=53&u=index.php

A school is leading the fight against an alarming rise in pupils using the internet to bully classmates. Blatchington Mill School in Hove is among the first in Sussex to sign up parents to combat intimidation in cyberspace. Police have praised the school's

Former council leader Ken Bodfish could stay in politics and fight for his seat in next year's local elections. Councillor Bodfish was deselected by Labour earlier this year, meaning he would not be able to fight next May's elections after representing

The Brighton Dome Organ Spectacular was a long time coming but good things are always worth waiting for. What a wonderful and varied programme was given by the three organists - and it was so enjoyed by the appreciative audience. -T Park, Brighton

The poorest families have to pay the highest price to get access to their cash, a new survey has revealed. Whitehawk, in Brighton, has been identified by the Citizen's Advice Bureau as one of a growing number of "ATM deserts". In some areas, people are

A policeman who lied about his past to get a job has escaped jail because he saved a man's life. Ben Coone failed to reveal he had previous convictions when he applied to join Sussex Police. He also did not disclose he had been disciplined in the Army

Musician Graham Coutts today won his House of Lords appeal against his conviction for the murder of schoolteacher Jane Longhurst. Five Law Lords agreed with submissions made on his behalf at a hearing last month that jurors should have been offered the

Michael Campbell will be aiming to consumate his love affair with links golf at Royal Liverpool this week. Campbell is a massive fan of the seaside courses the Open Championship are always played on and hopes those feelings will be reinforced by events

In response to Pete Gillman's questions about why taxis and minicabs don't stop when he hails them (Letters, July 17), first of all, minicabs (private hire vehicles, not taxis) won't stop when hailed in the street because they are not licenced to. Taxis

Manager John Hollins says Crawley's future is looking promising on the pitch, despite their problems off it. A young Reds side, mainly made up of trialists, drew 2-2 in a pre-season friendly at Horley last night. The only familiar names were teenagers

Pakistan will decide this week whether to call Sussex leg-spinner Mushtaq Ahmed into their injury-ravaged Test squad. The 36-year-old, who played the last of his 52 Tests in 2003, could be recalled for next week's second Test at Old Trafford as Pakistan's

The strong thread of community which runs through all local newspapers is woven into the fabric of our society. Our society is one of the reasons large numbers of immigrants want to settle in our midst and they bring many diverse skilled artisans among

Colin Kazim-Richards today revealed he would relish a new role as Albion plot their assault on League One. The Coca-Cola Kid scored two, created two and generally ran riot in this pre-season mis-match from a position ahead of midfield but behind a front

People are invited to nominate their favourite businesses for awards. The Littlehampton and Bognor Regis Business Partnership business of the year awards, run by Arun District Council, offer two top prizes of newspaper advertising worth £1,000. More than

An inquiry has been launched into a water company's delays in handling customer complaints. The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) investigation was started after Southern Water discovered that figures reported to regulator Ofwat about its handling of complaints

A supermarket group's giant compensation claim continues to hold up plans for a flood wall in a town devastated by flooding six years ago. Campaigners are furious that Somerfield's case has meant Uckfield cannot have any flood defences built before this

It was, as singer Tom Woodhead observed before staggering off stage, "possibly the hottest day ever, including the Jurassic period and various other hot times". This might have smelt like a puny excuse from most other bands but Forward Russia! would have

A former beauty queen diagnosed with kidney failure 11 years ago has begged the public to save her. Former Miss Eastbourne Cherie Royce, of Upper St James's Street, Brighton, will join the waiting list for a replacement kidney next month but fears it

Former world boxing champion Chris Eubank will be tried on his 40th birthday for careless driving and failing to stop after an accident. Magistrates issued a summons for Eubank to appear at Brighton Magistrates' Court on August 8 for the trial, expected

Four men accused of murder have appeared at Lewes Crown Court. They are charged with killing Matthew Heading who died after allegedly being beaten and stamped on. Mr Heading, 41, was found dead in his room at the Glenwood Lodge Hotel, in Grand Parade,

In your article about the proposed Phoenix Quarter development in Lewes (The Argus, July 10), you described the Phoenix industrial estate as "semi-derelict". As I understand it, "semi" means "half". I live on the edge of the estate and it is by no means

In response to GF Mower's rather acerbic comments (Letters, July 15), as this person doesn't actually reside in the city of Brighton and Hove, I am puzzled as to why they are so concerned with its social integration and misdemeanours. I didn't attend

Householders in the South-East saved more than 9,500 million litres of water last month. The Environment Agency has said that all water firms saw a reduction in use because of the drought. Hosepipe bans are in force across Sussex. The county's main water

A five-year-old girl with a rare disease is to have pioneering stem cell surgery in China. Sacha Skinner, of Firle Road, Brighton, will have ten million stem cells injected into her spinal column once a week during her month-long stay in Shenyang, northern

Roads have started to melt as the heatwave across Sussex reaches its climax. The weather has been so hot that some road surfaces have turned into a tacky melting tar. Ponds have also started to dry up in the intense heat. Yesterday was the hottest day

Seeing Powell and Pressburger's film A Canterbury Tale, starring Eric Portman, on television recently took me back to Egypt in 1948 where, as a very young man, I was serving in the RAF. Eric Portman, together with actor Laurence Harvey, visited the YMCA

This is the happy moment a six-year-old girl was reunited with her family after she went missing on a beach. Dozens of emergency service staff spent hours scouring a beach after the girl was reported lost by her frantic parents. The family, a Polish couple

The restored organ in the Dome, Brighton, is of particular interest to me as, for one vacation job in the early-Fifties, I was assistant to a Mr Ashby who, at the time, was the regular tuner. Most of the theatre organs built by Wm Hill & Sons and

An independent legal adviser has told councillors it would be lawful to grant permission for a 40-storey tower to rise from Brighton Marina above clifftops. Lawyer Mary Macpherson's advice could prove decisive when Brighton and Hove city councillors meet

So Fatboy wants another beach party. The police and council would be mad to allow it. Did he walk on the beach next day? It was a sea of broken glass. Did he see the devastation his party caused to this city? I'm sure he did not. If we do have this occasion

Why is it for the umpteenth year we regular Waterhall park users are prevented from doing so by dozens of caravans, horses and quad bikes. Earth banks have been built but to no avail, as these people gain access through the main gates. Once the caravans

I was surprised to read Valerie Richards asking how the tuk-tuks will comply with the Disabilities Discriminaton Act 1995 (Letters, July 17) given that most taxis in Brighton and Hove are not fully wheelchair accessible anyway. The last time I tried to

Colin Kazim-Richards today revealed he would relish a new role as Albion plot their assault on League One. The Coca-Cola Kid scored two, created two and generally ran riot in this pre-season mis-match from a position ahead of midfield but behind a front

Charlie Oatway can come back from his injury nightmare stronger than ever. That is the verdict of physio Malcolm Stuart after the Albion skipper enjoyed some overdue positive news in his recovery from a broken ankle. Oatway has been told he is on course

Businesses have made a last-ditch attempt to stop new parking controls they believe will ruin their trade. Transport chiefs plan to introduce controlled parking in and around Portland Road, Hove, adding more yellow lines and forcing residents to get permits

Hospital bosses have been warned against "fleecing patients unfairly" after MPs said high car parking charges had become a serious concern. The Government issued the warning in response to a report by the House of Commons health committee. The committee

More than 100 pupils demonstrated at their school yesterday in protest at the hot conditions in class. Many said they wanted to wear shorts and demanded they be allowed to dress down during the heatwave. The children at Cardinal Newman Catholic School

Inviting everyone and anyone to your open-air show can be a dangerous thing. Last year, Incisor Productions found this out for themselves when a star-struck dog decided to make its theatrical debut in the middle of their production. "Someone let their

Unlike Buddy, which featured here a couple of weeks ago, this show has no storyline and makes no apologies for the fact. It is unashamedly an all-singing, all-dancing, non-stop compilation show which celebrates the songs of Abba. It also pays homage to

He is too young to buy anything much stronger than orange barley, but Robinson's already the toast of Albion fans. Jake Robinson that is. The precocious striker wrote himself into the record books again as the Seagulls eased through to the second round

Bob Booker continued where Steve Coppell left off as he launched his bid to take over the Albion hot seat. Coppell said farewell to Albion with a 3-0 home win against Blackpool and it was a case of different manager, same result against the struggling

Chris McPhee made a convincing case for a regular place with the first double of his career. Goals in each half from the young Eastbourne striker could hardly have been better timed, not just for the team but also for his own aspirations. Darius

Zeshan Rehman made the kind of debut of which dreams are made as makeshift Albion marched to their first away League victory since the opening day of the season. The tall 19-year-old, drafted in on a month's loan from Fulham in the midst of a lengthening

Albion defied fatigue, depletion and a team with an awesome home record to pick up a valuable point. A pattern of narrow away defeats was halted three days after their extra time exertions in the Carling Cup at nearby Middlesbrough. It was, in the

It did not take long for Steve Coppell to get over Albion's magnificent, backs-to-the-wall performance in such exalted company ultimately counting for nothing. Minutes after this bravest of efforts by his team he was putting it to bed and focusing

Albion's tendency to pull out all the stops against better opponents surfaced again in a resounding fourth home victory out of five. They reserved their best performance of the season so far for the biggest club in the Second Division. Their next-best

Leon Knight celebrated his 21st birthday with a dream finish to get Albion back on the winning track against rock bottom Chesterfield. The Seagulls' mini marvel curled in his sixth goal of the season on 33 minutes after a mistake by defender Kevin

Albion are still struggling to strike top form after an unfortunate defeat at Layer Road. The fluency Steve Coppell is looking for eluded them again in a messy match. The problem for Coppell at the moment is that the components of the team are not

Steve Coppell, a keen golfer, described Albion as "a team on a tee peg" after a fluctuating stalemate against the best side they have played this season. The Seagulls, if not quite automatic favourites like Tiger Woods, have been widely tipped to finish

You might have expected Steve Coppell to be crestfallen after the dramatic finish to this frenetic thriller. You would have been very much mistaken. The Albion boss did not hesitate when asked if he was disappointed at letting a 3-1 lead slip so

It wasn't particularly pretty and it was decided by two untidy goals, but there were a couple of very good reasons for Albion boss Steve Coppell to rejoice in another three home points. The Seagulls put their first defeat of the season at Barnsley

Anyone misguided enough to think Albion were going to romp away with the Second Division after their flying start received a reality check via this first defeat of the season. The League was won two seasons ago thanks to countless victories by the

Little Leon Knight proved again that size does not matter as Albion came from behind to topple the title favourites. The mercurial marksman from Chelsea struck twice on his home debut against his old club to maintain the Seagulls' 100 per cent start

Chris McPhee fired Albion's battling ten men through to round two of the Carling Cup. The 20-year-old forward from Eastbourne, deputising for the unavailable Darius Henderson, struck with an acrobatic overhead kick from six yards on 49 minutes.

Steve Coppell greeted Albion's first victory at Oldham for 24 years with typical candour. "If we perform like that throughout the season then we won't go far," he warned. What more could he ask, you may ask, than an away win on the opening day with