The time has come for Albion chairman Dick Knight to act decisively.

That doesn't mean sacking Martin Hinshelwood if the losing run continues for the rest of the month but backing him to the hilt.

He should make it clear to Hinshelwood, the players and fans that the manager's job is safe for at least the rest of the season, irrespective of results.

It would immediately ease the mounting pressure on Hinshelwood and his squad, allowing him and them a fair crack of the whip.

He was given the job by Knight after an exhaustive search. The chairman must stand by his choice.

Two managers have been axed (Steve Gritt and Jeff Wood) and three have left (Brian Horton, Micky Adams and Peter Taylor) since he assumed power five years ago. It is time for some stability.

It won't happen of course. Knight's replies to questions from concerned fans in a Southern Counties Radio phone-in straight after this sixth successive League defeat amounted to lukewarm rather than resounding support for Hinshelwood.

He will do what most chairmen of football clubs do once flak starts flying in their direction, use the man they appointed as a scapegoat. Yet if there is any finger-pointing to be done Knight need only look in the mirror.

It would be foolish not to acknowledge the part he played in the stunning success on the field over the last two seasons via the inspired selection of Adams.

Albion are, however, now suffering the repercussions of the summer.

We have often heard no one man must ever be in control of the club again after the dark reign of Bill Archer.

In reality Knight is, not in terms of shareholding, but his hands-on style. Nothing gets done without his say so, down to even relatively trivial matters, and this contributed to the damaging delay in naming a manager.

Insiders questioned Knight's sanity when he gave serious consideration to appointing Cameroon's German World Cup coach Winfried Schafer. He hardly speaks a word of English and has no experience of English football.

After an intolerable wait and the embarrassment of Bristol City making public an official approach by Albion for Danny Wilson, Knight finally turned to Hinshelwood.

While making up his mind he was negotiating new long-term contracts with practically all and sundry on the playing staff.

They undeniably deserved some reward for the magnificent achievement of consecutive championships, but Knight should have been a little more selective. More importantly, those decisions should have been left to the incoming manager.

The fact is Hinshelwood inherited a squad weaker than the one which won the Second Division, with not much money or time before the start of the season to do anything about it.

He is not only hobbling around on one leg with a ruptured Achilles as a result of a freak training ground accident but managing with one hand tied behind his back as well.

It is hardly surprising that Albion are struggling. Players aren't daft and, in their heart of hearts, they always knew this season was going to be a fight for survival.

Sadly, there is not much room for sentiment in football, but who can blame them for taking advantage?

They are, as they always do, trying their best. Some are just finding the massive step up to Division One a step too far at the moment.

Bobby Zamora and Graham Barrett, if FIFA allow him to play for Albion again, could make a big difference once they are back. So could Hinshelwood's new signings Paul Kitson and Guy Butters once they are match sharp, which incidentally they would have been by now had he been given the job earlier.

Finishing fourth-bottom was always going to be the realistic target and that is well within the Seagulls' capabilities. The players will stick together and the chairman must stick with Hinshelwood.