Adrian Thorne was the shooting star that blazed across Albion's firmament all too briefly.

Appearing in only his seventh League match, Thorne, 20, scored five goals in the famous 6-0 annihilation of Watford at the Goldstone that sent Albion into the Second Division for the first time in 1957-58.

His place in Albion's Hall of Fame was secure as only the second player to score five goals for the club in a League game. The first was Jack Doran, the celebrated Irish international, who ran riot in the 7-0 drubbing of Northampton Town 37 years before.

What made Thorne's achievement so special was him being a local boy who had been spotted as a 17-year-old playing for Brighton Old Grammarians in the Sussex County League at the Greyhound Stadium.

Under Albion's feet there lay a jewel waiting to be cut and polished and manager Billy Lane lost no time in knocking off the rough edges with the A team. Hastings United were also interested but Adrian was Brighton through and through. It was the Albion for him.

It is well to remember that after so many gallant, but unsuccessful attempts when only one team went up from the old Third Division (South), Albion had not had much to shout about. The only battle honour on their flag was the FA Charity Shield that Charlie Webb's Southern League champions had gained from Aston Villa way back in 1910.

What Adrian Thorne rounded-off was a madcap night to compare by all accounts with the junketings of our Edwardian forebears 90 years ago.

Yet, incredibly, among all the experienced players who gave their all in that game before a record 31,038 throng, it was Thorne, the rookie, who left those fortunate to be present with an unforgettable memory.

But now, at 63, does he bask in the flashback and see himself at a mover and shaker of his time?

On the contrary, he can recall performances, any number of them in fact, that give him greater personal satisfaction. A level-headed young man, Adrian was never in danger of being overwhelmed by the blaze of publicity that attended his five-goal night that made history.

"It is not easy to recollect what I actually thought at the time. Remember, I was just starting out in football and must have been very impressionable. To some extent details of that Watford game are fading from my memory. Yes, I scored five goals, but with very great respect, this was against Watford.

"The following season against tougher opposition, I scored four goals in the match against Bristol Rovers and that was a more satisfying performance. Also, when we beat Fulham at the Goldstone that season, the opposition again was that much greater than we had encountered the previous season. For a young and inexperienced player like myself it was quite something to play against a side like Fulham who had England internationals like Johnny Haynes and George Cohen.

"Also, I will never forget the thrill of playing against Liverpool who had Billy Liddell in their side and when we went to Preston in a cup replay they had Tom Finney. The players I have mentioned were household names whereas Watford was a Third Division club like us.

"Watford was a good game to play in and it was a great night and one when I happened to get on the end of everything that came my way. In other matches you get the same number of chances but not put them away. I can understand what the result meant and that the match had all the ingredients of high drama."

It was an injury to Dave Sexton that allowed Thorne to play in the Watford match from which Albion had to take a point. There was also an element of luck in the game being re-arranged for April 30 with a 6.15 kick-off as the original date, January 25, was ruled out because of bad weather.

When Billy Lane told Thorne he was playing it came as a surprise for his League debut had only been on January 18 when he scored in the 2-0 win at Southend. Adrian played in the next three games (two goals) then missed the following ten and was never absolutely sure of being a first team regular.

An important consideration in those days was two years out of a young man's life due to National Service. Adrian did his time in the army and had actually been on Albion's books since August, 1954 when the crucial Watford game was played.

Adrian recalled that Billy Lane adopted a fatherly approach in his early days at the club. "I had come from a sheltered environment and when I first went into the senior dressing-room and heard all the swearing I thought, what have I got into? Billy was aware of this and would ask the players not to use bad language when I was there. That was rather embarrassing for me but Billy could be a bit touchy about language. I thought he did a good job for the club and was the first manager to get them promotion."

In the 1957-58 campaign Thorne was joint top scorer with Tommy Dixon and he continued to pull his weight in that first nine months of Division Two. The next season Adrian topped the lists with 14, but still could not be sure of a regular place. Being in one minute and out the next was an affront to his pride and he asked for a move towards the end of 1960-61.

With 44 goals from 84 games and youth on his side, Thorne was a hot property but the market was different then and no First Division club came in. Two goals in the 2-1 defeat of Plymouth alerted Argyle manager Neil Dougall and they lost no time in making an £8,000 bid which was accepted.

"When the opportunity came to go to Plymouth the move sounded like a good idea. I wasn't reluctant to leave. Life moves on was my attitude and it was during my time there that I married Gillian and we have been together for 35 years."

At Plymouth there was none of the explosive impact for Thorne that he had made at his home town club; just two goals in 11 appearances before stepping down to join Exeter City. There he marked his debut by scoring in the 2-1 Boxing Day victory at the Goldstone. City went on to gain promotion with nine goals in 41 outings for Thorne before joining Leyton Orient in the summer of 1965.

It was at Orient that Adrian looked to his future and attended teacher training college. He excelled in the pursuit of an academic career collecting honours degrees and specialising in exercise physiology not to mention gaining an FA senior coaching badge.

With sights set firmly on the future Adrian made his way in the teaching profession. He taught science as well as PE and is head of department at St George's, Maida Vale.

While Orient was his last League club, Adrian later turned out for Cheltenham Town and Barnet.

But football has taken an all too familiar toll: for the past seven months he has been off work with osteo-arthritis of the right ankle. Two operations and consultations with six surgeons has not brought about an improvement in the condition. He lives in Twickenham and does not watch football.