Peter Harburn has congratulated fellow Albion goal hero Bobby Zamora for eclipsing his 46-year-old scoring feat.

Harburn was one of four former Seagulls to find the net in eight successive appearances for the club.

Zamora broke that record by scoring for his ninth game on the trot against Rushden and Diamonds in the FA Cup at Withdean last Saturday.

Harburn, now 71 and living in Chelmsford, said: "Well done to him. I want to congratulate him.

"I don't know whether it is easier now than it was in my day or not, but it is still a great achievement.

"I am delighted to see where Brighton are in the league and I hope he goes on to do even better. I would love to see the club get promoted again."

Londoner Harburn achieved his great eight in 1955-56, his first full season with Albion, which he finished with 27 goals.

The Seagulls were promoted the following year, when Harburn was joint top scorer on 20 with Dave Sexton.

Harburn had a knee replaced five years ago, a legacy of knocks suffered during his playing career. Most of his spare time is spent on the golf course with his two middle-aged sons.

"I am not over enamoured with some of the football played now," he said. "It is all in midfield.

"We scored 114 goals in our promotion year and I remember the manager Billy Lane telling us that when you see the whites of the goalposts whack it. Nowadays they seem to try and walk it in.

"I kept in touch with Denis Foreman until quite recently and I've always had a soft spot for Brighton. I never really wanted to leave.

"I wanted £1 a week extra in the summer but they wouldn't give it to me and sold me to Everton. I wasn't ready for that quality of football and my wife didn't like it. They all talked like Cilla Black!"

Surprise, surprise, Zamora took only six minutes against Rushden to head himself into history.

He will equal the club record set by Cyril Thompson in 1950 of scoring in eight successive league games if he is on target again against Reading at Withdean tomorrow night.