Dan Ashworth backs Graham Potter to continue stellar work at Brighton

Ashworth, who resigned earlier this week and is expected to take up the director of football role at Newcastle United, worked closely with Potter and helped revolutionise the club.

The pair worked together to bring in the likes of Marc Cucurella, Joel Veltman and Danny Welbeck, and oversaw the progression of young talent like Aaron Connolly and Jeremy Sarmiento.

The Seagulls currently sit ninth in the Premier League, and remain on track to achieve their highest-ever to-flight finish.

Speaking to the club's website, Ashworth said: "Graham has done a brilliant job. Chris [Hughton]’s shoes weren’t easy to step into; he had done a brilliant job. He got the club promoted from the Championship and established us in the Premier League.

"But it felt the step change for Graham was opening up those pathways for younger players to come through and almost evolve the team, which Graham has brilliantly.

"You can talk about changing the style of play, and he’s done that, but you’ve got to win enough matches to stay in the league and hit our objectives.

"We’re sat here with the club ninth in the league on 30 points, which has been a really solid start, just over halfway through the season. There’s a lot to go and Graham will be the first to admit that.

"But he’s brought through a number of younger players, either our own or those we have recruited, players that have maybe come through that people didn’t know so much about and that’s what Graham is all about."