Brian Horton believes the Seagulls could eventually rub shoulders with the cream of English football again now the move to Falmer has been approved.

Horton captained the side in their first match in the top flight, against Arsenal at the Goldstone in 1979 in front of almost 29,000 fans.

When he returned as manager in 1998 Albion were struggling one off the bottom of the Football League, groundsharing at Gillingham and had a crowd of just over 2,500 for his first game in charge.

Horton, fed up with waiting for the club to return to Brighton, eventually left for Port Vale and is now in charge of League Two team Macclesfield.

He retains a deep-rooted affection for the Seagulls and envies the opportunity awaiting Mark McGhee - to manage them in a new stadium.

"I don't think there would be many better jobs," Horton said. "Brighton, with a new stadium, will have the potential to go into the Premier League again.

"The supporters are fantastic and they will fill the ground easily if they are winning. When I came back down to become manager and saw the Goldstone the way it was it broke my heart.

"We had so many great nights there with the ground full and yet, knowing the potential of the club, I had to manage them at Gillingham."