You can’t tell too much from results in pre-season friendlies.

Albion fans heading to the match against Nantes tonight will not see the result or even the performance as the be-all-and-end-all.

That applies this summer more than ever due to the late arrival of four World Cup players to the squad.

But what they will be aware of is this last home pre-season date has tended to offer more guidance than any other friendly as to what lies ahead when the season starts.

Albion have laid on some decent pre-season fare for home fans throughout the Amex era – and a bit before.

And they have been good indicators as to what might follow.

It is not just about the result. The Seagulls ended pre-season with a defeat last summer.

But losing 3-2 to Atletico Madrid in front of a full house sent them into their Premier League season with a spring in their step.

And not without reason. Atleti only conceded more than one goal in five of their subsequent 38 league games en route to second place.

They let in just five equalising goals all season – and Albion levelled twice against them in the second half.

So those were good signs. Similarly in 2012 and 2015 when the Seagulls beat the clubs who had recently won the Champions League (Chelsea) and Europa League (Sevilla).

Chelsea is widely remembered and savoured as the gala event of that Olympic summer six years ago, although there was also a promising 1-1 draw against top-flight outfit Reading in Michel Kuipers’ testimonial a few days later.

The first-choice Chelsea line-up were beaten 3-1 and deservedly so.

Sevilla were robbed, for all it was worth, but we had a first glimpse of Tomer Hemed’s cool penalty technique as he converted a spot-kick which should not have been awarded.

Albion followed those two summers with fourth place under Gus Poyet and third under Chris Hughton, among the very best finishes in the club’s history.

Ahead of the season when they actually made it to the Premier League, they closed the summer with a 1-0 defeat to Lazio.

Ravel Morrison scored the only goal and Stefan de Vrij, a big summer signing for Inter this year, was the centrepiece of the Lazio defence.

The summing up on our live report at theargus.co.uk that afternoon read: “So the verdict? Middling, really. Not a bad performance by Albion, who were up against a good side, but not one to get you bursting with enthusiasm either. And, in case you are wondering, the answer is Yes. Albion fans DID attempt an Icelandic clap!”

Happily the team warmed up nicely from then on and Icelandic type support was quickly frozen out.

Pre-season games against Villarreal and Norwich under Oscar Garcia in 2013 did not tell us a lot about the coming season, other than that Solly March had potential.

The 2011 date with Tottenham offered hope of an enjoyable season to come at the new stadium.

Albion’s last friendly at Withdean, a 1-0 win over Aberdeen, left us suspecting they were in for a good season and that Elliott Bennett would score some crackers. Spot on!

But, if that was a great guide, then so was the Thursday night in 2014 which set alarm bells ringing.

When Southampton visited, it was seen as a good chance for Albion to put in a rather brighter showing than in the precious friendly when they lost 3-1 to Real Betis.

Saints had lost Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren and Calum Chambers while bringing in relative unknowns like Graziano Pelle, Dusan Tadic, Ryan Bertrand and Sadio Mane (though the latter didn’t play at the Amex).

It got ugly – and not just because of the colour scheme as Albion played in orange and black while Saints donned blue and yellow.

The warning signs were there for an Albion side spearheaded by Chris O’Grady and Shamir Fenelon. Pelle and Tadic were revelations. Albion were lucky to only lose 3-1.

Looking back at fans’ comments, one remarked that full-backs Inigo Calderon and Adam Chicksen did not seem to know where they should be – and nor did Andrew Crofts, the midfielder detailed to cover for their forays forward encouraged by Sami Hyppia.

“You can’t tell anything from a friendly,” fans tried to tell themselves.

Almost true. But the last dress rehearsal has offered some clues in the past. That may well be the case when Seagulls met Canaries tonight.