The Blues eventually won the Division II encounter 2-0, and ironically in the return fixture at the Goldstone the following March it a was a goalkeeping master class from Dave "Lurch" Beasant, who kept the home team at bay before the visitors scraped a 1-0 away victory.

But first and foremost, in season 88-89 Chelsea and Brighton were in the same division, playing on all but a level playing field.

A lot has happened since those heady days of the late 1980s. The Albion have, of course, been brought to their knees and lost their spiritual home of the Goldstone.

Chelsea's fortunes have gone the other way, and with an injection of Russian money, have gone on to be a very successful team and one of the largest clubs/brands on the planet.

Although people forget that Chelsea were said to be within hours of going into administration before a chance helicopter flight back to Heathrow by Roman Abramovich took him over the Bridge, and although already in talks to buy Spurs, Chelsea then became top of his wish list.

Who's to say what would have happened if he'd left North London by car, but if Chelsea had gone down the administration route they would possibly be in the same position as Leeds United are now.

It was on the event of my mate Yatesy's landmark birthday (can't give out an exact figure but Hawaii is a big clue) and with him being a big Chelsea fan, I decided to treat him to a trip to the Bridge for a Champions League game.

So on Tuesday night we made our way up to West London for Chelsea's vital final group game against Cluj, the champions of Romania.

Don't get me wrong, it was a great occasion, and something I can tick off as doing, but ultimately I felt like an outsider at the Bridge.

It's very true that you cannot really get into a game when you support neither side.

Love them or hate them, Chelsea have got it right. A free scarf on every seat immediately helps create a cracking atmosphere, and from the minute we got off the Tube, everything seemed to be very well organised, and all for £25 a ticket.

Now back with my Albion hat on, as I said, 20 years ago the clubs contested the same division, now they are separated by two leagues, but you might as well say it's two light years.

I believe the big four now have an irreversible stranglehold on domestic football. The likes of Spurs, Villa and perhaps even Everton might have the occasional good season, but ultimately are the other 85 professional clubs in this country running through quicksand trying to keep up?

And as a smaller/unfashionable club, if you do manage to "live" the Premiership dream, could it end-up with the old adage of the thing you love most ultimately destroying you?

Charlton Athletic lived the dream, got relegated, but came back and lived it again. Once again the dream ran-out and now they find themselves at the bottom of the Championship, in dire financial straits.

Made worse by the fact that the former manager, Alan Pardew, a man who clearly couldn't do the job in the end, is sacked, but as a result of failing walks away with a reported £1.4million pay off.

But the point is they were everybody's template, a well- run club, who on the face of it cut their cloth accordingly, and they have ended up failing miserably.

So what real hope is there for the rest of the clubs?

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Email the Herald: steve.bailey@worthingherald.co.uk