He said, quite rightly, that you don't actually get relegated because of what happens in that last 90 minutes — it's about all the games in the season.

However, as Albion's flirtation with the League One play-offs continue, I'm probably like thousands of Albion fans and already playing "What if?"

The Seagulls sit poised, albeit with a number of other clubs, with a game in hand, just three points away from the last play-off position, which is occupied by Southend United, and the Albion have a visit to Roots Hall still on the agenda.

Now, "What if?" is usually played out by football fans after the season has ended.

But I couldn't help but think about points that the Albion shouldn't have dropped in the last couple of weeks.

Just off the top of my head, the home matches against Tranmere and Leyton Orient and the visit to Cheltenham should really have resulted in all nine points, instead of two draws and an injury-time defeat.

Just what would an already promising divisional table look like now with those extra seven points?

But those games are gone and no amount of "if, but and maybe" will get the points back.

As Liam Brady once famously told BBC South: "If my granny had wheels she'd be a bus" — or words to that effect.

Excuse the cliché, but the season really does start here: promotion via an unforgettable trip to the new Wembley is still in the Albion's hands.

But it requires putting together an impressive run of victories against a large number of sides in and around the promotion mix.

A caller to my phone-in on Tuesday said that if this Albion side were to get promoted they would be the worst Seagulls team to ever go up.

I disagree. With their remaining games and the opposition in front of them, if the Albion team are successful then it will have been done with perhaps the most impressive set of results in the club's history.

And one player who will play a big part in this is midfielder Dean Cox, who is now back in the first team picture after being dropped by Albion manager Dean Wilkins for disciplinary reasons.

There has been much speculation and comment over the recent events concerning Cox who, nobody doubts, is one of the Albion's brightest prospects. His, and many other of the younger squad members', relationship with Wilkins is unique, given the fact that Wilkins has been in charge of many of them for nearly a decade.

But while his youth duties were at a certain level, he is now manager of the first team and has to command a level of respect, virtually unequalled by anyone else at the club, save the chairman.

Maybe familiarity does breed contempt, but, hopefully, this nipping not-quite-in-the-bud should be an end to the matter.

My having the privilege of working with a number of Albion managers over the years, what I will say is that Dean Cox is extremely lucky that Wilkins is his manager.

I can think of at least three others in the last 20 years who would have shipped him out months ago.

Like I said, he is a gifted and talented footballer, who could yet play a big part in this season. T

hankfully for him, and all Albion supporters, he is still going to get the chance.

And finally, further congratulations, this time to our Hampshire near-neighbours Portsmouth for making it to the FA Cup semi-finals.

Let's hope history doesn't repeat itself.

The last time Pompey lifted the trophy they held it for seven years because World War Two took over.

Remind me please, how long has George Bush got left in The White House?