Ian Hart gives his verdict on the great of all time debate at Brighton and Hove Albion

Almost on biblical proportions - although not along the lines Samson losing his strength when Delilah cut his locks off - but since Fabian lost his barnet (bad transplant or discarded syrup, who cares?) Brighton have been setting all kinds of records.

Granted, not all are welcome. Against Chelsea the other week, with a reported 76% possession they made Premier League history by being the first team to lose a game having that much of the ball.

This Sunday’s emphatic 5-0 away win at Coventry saw another first notched up, with all 15 outfield players hailing from different countries (Don’t tell Mr Farage or anyone else at Reform!)

Aside from that one making the record books, we perhaps saw one of the greatest goals scored by an Albion defender when Captain Fantastic Lewis Dunk claimed Brighton’s fourth with his second half wonder strike.

Dunk the greatest?

And in the wake of Albion equalling their biggest ever away win the EPL (the previous was 5-0 at Sheffield United), the debate once again raged on social media as to if Lewis Dunk the greatest player to ever pull on an Albion shirt in the club’s 125 year history, which they celebrate this Saturday with a home fixture against reigning Champions Arsenal.

For me, and my 53 and a half years following the Seagulls (although they were The Dolphins when I started back in 1973), it’s a two part question.

To my mind there are two categories. The greatest player, ability wise, to pull on a Blue and White striped shirt, or the ultimate legend/icon to have represented the club?

Cracked record alert, my greatest ever player, despite a number running him close down the years, remains Mark Lawrenson.

He was a footballing Rolls Royce, who had he not got injured in 1987 would have played for Ireland at Euro 88 and Italia 90, and been truly lauded as world class, and almost certainly ended up in Serie A... back then the greatest League on the planet.

Regarding the greatest legend/icon, so many candidates. Sir Norman Gall, Brian Horton, Peter Ward, Steve Foster, Kerry Mayo, Glenn Murray or Bobby Zamora, but even with my natural affinity with Norman, I think there is only one winner, and it is Dunky.

Brighton born and bred, 16 years and counting, played in three different divisions, two promotions, one championship win (should have been two but we won’t go there!)

And has now led the Albion in their nine eventful seasons in the what is now the best league in the world (not forgetting Europe twice).

A much deserved, though I understand predominantly charity led, testimonial season is not far away, and it’s something I look forward to hopefully being involved with.

And what a fitting way to celebrate another landmark birthday by ending Arsenal’s perfect EPL start to the season?

Camillin 25 not out

Off the field the club also ‘honour’ another vital cog in the machine at the Arsenal match when head of media Paul Camillin is recognised for his over 25 year full time service at the Albion.

I say full time, as a ‘foot soldier’ to save the club, he then actually edited fanzine ‘Scars and Stripes’ (The successor to Gulls Eye) in the first season at Gillingham, before being asked to edit the club programme in the second, and thankfully final, season in Kent, before starting full time work at the club on their return to Withdean.

His contribution to the overall smooth running of the club sometimes gets overlooked in certain quarters, but for those who know, the Albion would not be the well oiled machine it is today without his valuable input.