Albion on the verge of an historic start to a season

Brighton and Hove Albion will make their best start to a league season since the First World War if they win away to Bolton Wanderers.

Albion's 0-0 draw at Wolverhampton Wanderers extended their unbeaten start to the Championship season to eight games.

They sit top of the table, with six wins and two draws, and are one of just three league sides still unbeaten, with Premier League Leicester City and League Two Portsmouth the other sides.

Brighton have twice before gone eight games unbeaten to start a league season. In Division 2, in 1977-78, the club won six and drew two of their opening eight matches, before they lost their ninth game of the season. They finished that season fourth, just two points off top spot.

Before that, Albion won seven and drew once to open the 1953-54 season in Division 3 South. They also lost their ninth game that season, but finished second in the table.

Fast starts is something Albion fans have become accustomed to in recent seasons. In the first season at the Amex in 2010-11, Albion had a points return of 17 from eight games and had 16 points from the same number of matches the following season.

In four of the last five seasons, the team leading the Championship after eight games has finished in the top four - with two clubs promoted automatically.

Last season was the exception, with Nottingham Forest top on 18 points at this stage of the campaign, before they fell away and ended 14th.

Bournemouth were down in 16th place at this time last season, with nine points from eight matches, but finished with 90 points as they were crowned champions.

Watford, who were runners-up, had 16 points from eight games and Norwich, who went up by the play-offs had a 17 point return.

QPR had 20 points - the same return Albion currently have - at this stage in the 2013-14 season, before they went up through the play-offs after finishing fourth.

It was the Seagulls who led the way with 16 points in the 2012-13 campaign, on goal difference, before they ended fourth and lost in the play-offs. Cardiff, second at the time, went on to win the league by eight points.

Southampton finished second in 2011-12, after returning 19 points from their opening eight matches, while QPR had 22 points at this time in the 2010-11 campaign and went on to win the title by four points.