Albion boss Peter Taylor has admitted the club would be "crazy" to let top scorer Bobby Zamora go.

Taylor believes the young hotshot has the potential to play in the Premiership, but he wants Zamora to continue his education with the Seagulls.

The 20-year-old striker scored his 12th goal of the season on Saturday to beat promotion rivals Bristol City at Ashton Gate.

That prompted Bristol boss and former Albion midfielder Danny Wilson to predict Zamora "would go well" in the Premiership.

Fans' fears of a fresh bid for the free-scoring star have been re-ignited by Zamora's latest strike, which came on the same day as he was featured on BBC Grandstand's Football Focus.

Taylor said: "The most important thing is that when I saw the chairman Dick Knight he told me Bobby has been signed up on a long contract and the club hasn't got to sell him.

"That is very important for the progress of the team. The reason we are doing well is that we are scoring goals. It would be crazy at the moment to let our goalscorer go unless something smacks us between the eyes which is right for us and for Bobby."

Taylor, still unbeaten since succeeding Micky Adams, revealed when he was appointed three weeks ago that he had received rave reviews from scouts about Zamora.

"I think the scouts got it right," he said. "What they wouldn't have known is about the boy's intelligence. He is a very good player, but he also does a lot of good things for the team.

"It's not just about him being a star and a goalscorer. He is willing to do things when we lose the ball which I have been very impressed with.

"He's got a very good chance of going very high, although that doesn't mean he would go into the Premiership tomorrow and be an instant success. You have to be careful of that.

"Bobby has been very sensible. He has come here from Bristol Rovers and is playing first team football every week, which is very important for his education.

"He is going to carry on improving and I am sure if and when something happens he will be ready.

"There is no doubt that in the Premiership you get less chances. If you get one you have to score and looking at Bobby at the moment you fancy him to score. He is a very good finisher."

Taylor is concerned that the strained hamstring tendon suffered by Zamora at Bristol could sideline him from Saturday's home game against Port Vale.

Albion will drop out of the automatic promotion places to third tonight if Stoke win at Blackpool.