ALBION reporter BRIAN OWEN looks back at some of the highs and lows of their 2018-19 season....

Best moment of the season

Highlights are going to inevitably keep coming back to the wins over Palace. Goals by Leon Balogun, Florin Andone and Anthony Knockaert probably fill the top three spots.

The Argus:

But, away from those games, how about Pascal Gross finally ending the goal drought at a club record 735 minutes to secure a precious point against Newcastle?

The Argus:

Alternative moment of the season

Glenn Murray’s 100th Albion goal which also secured a first hat-trick of Premier League wins as they beat Wolves 1-0. The goal, set up by Bruno, was a record-breaker – the oldest combination of assist-provider and scorer in Premier League history at 73 years and 57 days.

The Argus:

It was Albion’s only on-target attempt against Wolves all season and they ended up with four points.

Lowest ebb

Has to be that final period at home to Bournemouth with the Cherries 5-0 up and piling forward while their fans in the South Stand chanted: “We want six”. Total humiliation for Albion.

Player of the season

The Argus:

Duncan Duffy. Or at least that’s what it sounds like when the two pillars of the defence are spoken about. They come as a pair. It is often hard to separate Lewis Dunk and Shane Duffy although the latter has the edge in goalscoring.

Alternative player of the season

The Argus:

Bernardo. It looked like Albion had signed a dud on the limited evidence of his debut at Watford. It wasn’t just how he played. Plenty were poor at Vicarage Road. It was also the fact he then didn’t get near the team for several weeks. But he learned quickly and became one of Albion’s best signings.

Biggest disappointment

The Argus:

Alireza Jahanbakhsh and his failure to score. It was certainly his own biggest disappointment. The Iran winger has yet to live up to his massive/modest price tag (delete as applicable, depending on whether you are coming from an Albion context or thinking in terms of how much a Premier League goalscorer costs). For what it’s worth, he was also underwhelmed with his own first season at previous club Alkmaar (three goals) before going on to net ten and 22 in his next two years.

Best away team at the Amex

Bournemouth, obviously. Actually, it has to be the champions, surely. They were irresistible on the day of their title success once Glenn Murray had made them angry – until sentimental exits for Bruno and Vincent Kompany took the sting out of them.

Quirky stat of the season

The Argus:

Albion extended their run of wins at home to teams with Portuguese managers to seven (eight if you include Nantes in a friendly). Coincidence, surely. Or did the typical Portuguese playing style – intricate work in midfield, lovely approach play but not particularly direct or clinical – suit Chris Hughton’s side?

Best front page of The Prem

The Argus:

We particularly liked this one - when Jurgen Locadia scored his second goal in a week at the Amex to cap what he thought was a “crazy” week. At the time, it felt like the real Locadia had arrived.

The Argus:

And, of course, Where Seagulls Dare went down well!

Worst front page of The Prem

The Argus:

Well this was the least favourite – after the 5-0 defeat to Bournemouth. We were so fed up with putting miserable pictures on the front, we went for a goal celebration. Of Chris Wood doing Albion a favour with one against Cardiff.

Comeback of the season

Fulham versus Albion. With Albion versus Fulham among the runners-up. On an individual basis, how about Jayson Molumby? The midfielder was out for 15 months, during which time he half-joked he got a new kneecap for his 19th birthday. He played for the under-23s in a brilliant Friday night win at Manchester City and was on the bench for the first team in the FA Cup 17 hours later.

Unlikely bad boy

Mild-mannered Solly March was at the centre of a storm when he played on against Everton while Richarlison was down. Everton players were outraged, a melee ensued and fans sang March’s name louder than when he scored the goal which clinched promotion.

Spanish retirement of the season

The Argus:

Bruno of course. But we have a full podium with Inigo Calderon and Andrea Orlandi also hanging up their boots overseas. Three members of Gus Poyet’s “Spanish Brighton” called time on their playing careers this season.

VAR moment of the season

The Argus:

Video refs come into force next term but Albion had a few moments when they could have done with technology in 2018-19. One which stands out was when Pascal Gross was wrongly flagged offside as he thought he had put his side 2-0 up on Leicester. For some reason, it was Foxes keeper Kasper Schmeichel who lost his temper. Calm down, Kasper. you got a lucky break there.