Dick Knight must have chuckled to himself in the boardroom at Bootham Crescent at around 5pm last Saturday.

The chairman had just watched Albion stretch their unbeaten run at York in their first match without assistant Alan Cork.

News of another result from Ninian Park probably gave him nearly as much pleasure.

Cardiff's 0-0 home draw against Kidderminster meant Albion had moved above the big-spending Welshmen.

Knight would not be human if he didn't derive an element of satisfaction from the situation.

But could he and his Board be counting the cost of Cork's departure to Cardiff in the months to come?

Knight blamed Cork's unexpected exit last week purely on "money and nostalgia."

Cork has doubled his wages. He has also been reunited with his football father figure Sam Hammam and his former Wimbledon boss Bobby Gould at a club which has become, in financial terms at least, comfortably the biggest in the Third Division.

Albion are now demanding compensation from Cardiff, yet they appear to have shot themselves in the foot because of a puzzling contract anomaly.

Micky Adams was given a four-year deal when he took charge of the Seagulls 18 months ago. Cork's contract only had the rest of this season to run.

They had worked together previously at Fulham and Swansea and came as a pair.

Chief executive Martin Perry told the Argus last week: "When we talked to Micky about the Brighton job Corky's name immediately cropped up and he made it clear he wanted him as his No.2. They are a good team."

Knight said Cork "already had our promise of a long term contract". Why though did the Board drag its feet?

Surely the obvious time to have resolved the issue would have been in the summer, after Albion had finished the season with a 14-match undefeated sequence.

Cork might well still have been lured to Wales by Cardiff's lucrative offer and his old Wimbledon buddies.

Albion would, however, at least have been claiming compensation for a contract which still had almost two years to go instead of just nine months.

Cork will not be particularly missed by Albion supporters. He became the scapegoat in the David Cameron episode last season, which rankled both him and Adams.

Some fans never forgave him for publicly branding the Scottish striker "useless".

Adams will certainly miss his trusted and cheerful sidekick. Cork understood his idiosyncrasies.

Within 48 hours of Cork leaving, Adams was being linked with the managerial post at Millwall.

It turned out to be a scare story, but that sort of speculation is part and parcel of the game nowadays.

You can bet Adams' name will crop up again if, as expected, Tony Pulis gets the sack shortly along the coast at Portsmouth.

Adams says:"I am an ambitious young chap. If somewhere down the line someone comes to me and wants to double my money I would have to seriously consider it, but I'm happy at the moment.

"It's flattering to be linked to Millwall and other clubs, but just because Alan Cork left that does not affect my position.

"People have been patient with me and I am gradually getting it right.

"As far as I am concerned I am the Brighton manager until I decide I want to leave."

That last remark offers another clue to the somewhat volatile relationship which exists between Albion's strong-willed boss and Knight's equally determined Board.

Adams hit out when Cork went, saying "there are lessons which the club has got to learn from".

It is too early to assess the importance of Cork's contribution over the past 18 months or the impact of his departure.

Let us hope Knight is still chuckling when Cork returns to Withdean with Cardiff in February.