Albion have been urged to keep improving as they look to protect their leadership of the Championship.

But the man closest to boss Chris Hughton has revealed the steely side of their manager which he believes will keep them on the right track.

Colin Calderwood worked with the Albion chief at Newcastle, Norwich and Birmingham and is now his right-hand man at the Amex.

He believes Hughton’s calm nature was a factor in his side’s transformation from strugglers to leaders.

But he also stresses there are hard words spoken behind the scenes to keep standards high.

Calderwood also believes senior professionals like Bobby Zamora and Andrew Crofts have added a tougher edge to training, despite playing limited minutes.

And he has stressed the Seagulls can – and must – still improve as the season unfolds.

Calderwood was asked the question which fans and media around the Championship have been asking their counterparts who watch Albion for weeks now.

How on earth has Hughton done it?

“The manager has had a huge influence,” Calderwood told The Argus.

“There’s his calmness and his experience of this league and throughout football.

“I think he is looked on as calm and composed but he speaks very strongly with the players and I think the players are in no doubt what their job is come Saturday.

“We had a good pre-season with very few injuries and knocks and that time has certainly been rewarded by our start.

“I think people like Dale Stephens coming back into the team from his big injury made a difference.

“We’ve also got Andrew Crofts coming back, experience in Bobby Zamora.

“That sort of manliness has had a huge impact although a couple of them haven’t played too much.

“But their professionalism and how they approach training has really rubbed off and dictated a lot of our rhythm of training and application.”

Albion face one of their higher-profile games on Saturday when they visit promotion-chasing Reading.

The profile will rise further when the six-pointer against Middlesbrough is televised live.

Hughton has managed under the weight of far greater expectation when he was at Newcastle in the Championship.

Similarly, only promotion would do for Nottingham Forest fans when Calderwood was in charge there in League One.

“I think it’s different here,” Calderwood admitted.

“I don’t presume anyone else felt we would be anywhere near where we are at the minute.

“That’s quite a nice ride to have when you are slipping under the radar.

“But we are not worried about that situation really.

“We are concentrating on ourselves and trying to improve because we feel there is improvement in the team.

“We have got to make sure there is some improvement because we have got to not only maintain what we have done.

“What we do better might keep us up there longer than anyone expects.”

Albion have only trailed on two occasions this season, both in home games, and fought back for four points. But they have seen six leads – including a pair of 2-0 advantages – wiped out.

That has led to all 15 league and cup games providing tense finales with never more than a goal between the teams.

Calderwood admitted: “There are moments in games where we have got to have a little bit more control. Can we, after scoring the first goal, not concede? Can we see games out? Can we do better in second halves?

“There are little markers that we pin up for the players to get to.

“But, in the bigger picture, we’ve got to maintain what we have done.

“And they have got to have no egos, no selfishness about them and play for one another – as they have done.”