Albion boss Chris Hughton must be glad Cardiff dispensed with Paul Trollope - so that he could grab him as assistant.

Hughton was left without a No.2 when Colin Calderwood (below right) moved to Aston Villa for family and financial reasons.

The Argus: Hughton immediately swooped for Trollope, his coach at Birmingham and Norwich, after his brief reign as Cardiff manager came to an end prior to Calderwood's exit.

That was two years ago and the Seagulls have been promoted from the Championship and are now establishing themselves in the Premier League since Hughton and Trollope were reunited.

Hughton told The Argus: "What you never know is the future and how we were going to do as a team but what I did know is that with Colin going and Paul coming in that there wouldn't be much change.

"I obviously knew them both well as coaches, I knew what a good coach Paul Trollope was, and for me the timing when Colin left, to have Paul available, it couldn't been any better really."

Trollope has made a smooth transition from No.1 to No.2 for a second time.

"Paul, remember, was also a No.1 at Bristol Rovers for close on five years before he then became an assistant with me at Birmingham," Hughton said.

"I think it's about adaptability. He plays a part but doesn't have the main responsibility in picking the team.

"All those efforts go into other areas. He's a very good football person and, for what I need, he's a very good coach."

The successful relationship between Hughton and Trollope (below right), part of Chris Coleman's coaching staff when Wales reached the Euro semi-finals in France, has brought true the opinion of his Brighton-born mentor Lennie Lawrence.

The Argus: Following Trollope's appointment, Lawrence told The Argus: "I am not just thinking about now. I fancy Brighton strongly. I think they will get up and when they get into the Premier League they are not going to look around and think 'What do we do now?'

"Chris has been there before and Paul has worked with top players, international players, successfully and he has been in the Premier League with Chris before so they will have a good idea exactly where they are.

"You look at Brighton and the recruitment has been pretty good over recent times. I am sure that will continue and in terms of the coaching with the pair of them they will be as good as anybody. Paul is very good on the training field."