Jimmy Melia's occupancy of the Goldstone hot seat for 311 days before pressing the self-destruct button signalled probably the most bizarre period in Albion's history.

In his brief career as team manager Albion reached the FA Cup final, only to taste the dregs of a bitter-sweet concoction when the club went down into the Second Division eight points short of safety.

No matter how many voices were raised against Melia when relegation had really sunk in, nothing can detract from the fact that he was the man in charge when Albion twice locked horns with Manchester United on the world stage via television.

Brighton and Hove received incalculable publicity and if chairman Mike Bamber and Melia hogged the limelight that was only to be expected. It was a time for celebration at taking part, although winning the prized trophy would have been nice.

Given the predictable rise of Manchester United to today's dizzy heights, Albion's descent into the Third Division, and loss of a permanent home, offers much food for thought.

It is not inconceivable that Melia, who has been coaching kids in Texas for a number of years, sometimes casts his mind back and wonders what might have happened had Albion not only beaten Manchester United but managed to retain First Division status.

Such an achievement was not beyond Albion's capabilities although, once the players were sure of a place at Wembley, there was never much doubt where their priorities lay.

And, by the time Melia quit after being supplanted by Chris Cattlin, the coach, who had been given the brief of picking the team, Jimmy's influence had dwindled to that of a walking-on part, albeit in white disco-dancing shoes.

When the blow struck, Bamber was holidaying in Hawaii. It was left to vice-chairman Tom Appleby and co-director Bryan Bedson to put Melia under the cosh. Stripped of his authority, Jimmy emerged from the meeting flustered and angry saying that he had left of his own accord.

As Appleby explained: "Jimmy felt he couldn't carry on in the present set-up. The union we wanted between him and Chris didn't gel because they just couldn't agree. Nobody knew from whom to take orders and factions started to develop."

That was true; players identified with one or the other and the club was close to being torn asunder. Yet, when Melia succeeded Mike Bailey, who was sacked for no good reason, and put on a trial basis, it didn't need an Einstein to fathom that Jimmy wasn't the man for the job long term.

Nevertheless, in those astonishing scattercash days when Brighton started to drop the image of being a selling club to a buying club, caution was flung to the winds and a very good side rode their luck all the way to Wembley.

Had Albion won at Wembley, would Melia have stayed? It would have taken a bold board to have shown him the door five months later as they did. But a signpost to the exit is just what the stars held for Melia.

When, alongside my Saturday report from Wembley I ran a story that Albion were seeking to replace Melia, the denials came thick and fast and the directors withdrew my invitation to the club banquet. They were completely entitled to take such a course of action but Melia did go and it was not a result of impulsive action.

But all the time results improved Albion's chances of going to Wembley there was scarcely a ripple on the surface. The back back-slappers gathered as Jimmy and girlfriend Val Lloyd hammed it up. Jimmy was forever opening fish 'n chip bars, opening pubs, judging beauty competitions and pictured receiving the keys of a courtesy car. The hype really took off after the marvellous win at Anfield when, at the final whistle, Jimmy ran to salute the Kop.

Indeed, he could well have been forgiven in seeking out those Liverpool fans who knew him from old. Jimmy, one of 11 kids raised in Scotland Road, has a place in the Anfield pantheon and Bill Shankly to thank for shaping his playing career. On the park he held the ball up well and knew when to slow the pace with a calming effect on the whole team.

Seventy-six goals in 269 League games was his not inconsiderable contribution and, true to his attack-minded upbringing, he played three out-and-out strikers at Brighton.

Importantly, he got Jimmy Case playing out of his skin and with Jimmy about there was always a laugh in the dressing-room. The manager gave Brighton's night spots a thrashing and became even more of a celebrity when, after the semi-final win over Sheffield Wednesday, he was appointed manager after probation as caretaker.

For all the playboy stuff, which, in a 45-year-old balding man, hit the odd discordant note, there was something of a philosopher in Jimmy and sometimes it showed.

"While things are happening and times are good, just enjoy them. When it all stops, have no regrets - just move on and be thankful you were there and part of it." That was his message in a rare quiet moment.

When he resigned in October, 1983, Albion had managed only four Second Division victories. Three days after leaving Jimmy was back, but only after paying £2.50 for a turnstile ticket. On the north terrace the scenario degenerated into black farce. Melia, aka Coco the Clown by his players, brought the circus to the Goldstone perched on the shoulders of anti-Bamber protesters.

The chanting was led by Melia.

"Bamber out" he sang while bearing an Albion scarf above his head. Val joined in and a 3-1 defeat by Sheffield Wednesday only served to fuel the din. It was no one-man band for Jimmy identified with the Jeffrey Kruger syndicate whose take-over bid soon fizzled out. Bamber's reply was to accuse Melia of being a disgrace and a mole for Kruger.

The players were unmoved. Tony Grealish, the captain, said: "We've got families to feed and mortgages to pay. Whoever is in charge calls the tune."

How times had changed; only a few months earlier the chairman talked of Melia as the man who had put a smile on the face of football and could always be sure of employment.

Now the tune was different: "Melia's image of disco dancing and white shoes was not really the image I wanted for the club. I will not yield to rent-a-mob."

It was left to Melia to pursue a financial settlement through the managers' and secretaries' association and he eventually got something in the region of £15,000.

Within a few weeks, and bouncing back like he always did, Jimmy took over coaching Belenenses, the Portuguese club until his contract was terminated in November, 1985.

Back in England Jimmy had a brief spell in charge at Stockport, then it was time to move on to Kuwait and Dubai, San Francisco, San Jose and Dallas.

He has just had his 64th birthday and I guess those white disco shoes get more than an occasional airing in Texas, even if he's into Line Dancing by now.