After nine months and 45 games, Albion's destiny will be decided in Cleethorpes and Stoke-on- Trent.

Defeats at Crystal Palace and Wimbledon at home were the worst moments for me, when Albion seemed light years away from survival, so it is an achievement to have got this far.

The odds are against us because Stoke can only lose it but there are a couple of good signs. The Potters are managed by Tony Pulis, who was in charge of the Gillingham team that threw away a two-goal lead in injury time in a Wembley play-off final.

It seems everybody connected with Stoke City is already in whinge mode before a ball has been kicked. On-loan goalkeeper Mark Crossley complained about the selection policy of Watford manager Ray Lewington for Saturday's game at Withdean.

Crossley, according to neutral observers, should have been sent off the previous week when Stoke were clinging to a one-goal lead at home to Wimbledon. It's called swings and roundabouts.

I might have sympathised with Crossley had Lewington stopped the team coach outside McDonald's in Western Road and picked out seven random teenagers to play. But the Watford manager selected contracted professionals good enough to earn their living from the game.

A couple of friends were standing near the open window of the away dressing room on Saturday and, if it was a ruse, Lewington kept up the pretence at half-time with an animated team talk which contained, as Sir Matt Busby used to call it, industrial language.

Despite their position, I believe Albion are a better side than Stoke. Too many points have been given away, the six handed to The Potters spring to mind, but I still believe a First Division fixtures list will arrive on the fax machine in June, even if history is against us.

When the year ends in three, it doesn't bode well - we were relegated in 1963, 1973 and 1983 and almost wiped out in the High Court in 1993. But that was last century and, remember, Albion are the most successful Football League team of this Millennium with two championships.

It's good to see that Albion have the support of some big names in Sussex sport. Brighton Bears basketball pair Nick Nurse and Randy Duck were at the Watford game.

On Saturday night the Coral Greyhound Stadium staged an Albion- themed race.

The Good Luck To The Albion Next Week Trophy was won by Uno Oozit and it gave me great pleasure to present the winning owner with the trophy.

I wonder if television chiefs in Southampton will drop Andy Steggall's excellent local Football League highlights show on Sunday afternoons if Reading join Southampton and Portsmouth in the Premiership via the play-offs?

That would leave Albion, Bournemouth, Gillingham and Swindon in the region so would a highlights show be a viable proposition for executives?

In a perfect world, Albion would have their own hour-long show but Brighton isn't in Hampshire and, as every Sussex sports fan knows, that counts for a lot at Meridian.