Walton appears to be a character Albion need

We all know them. Some people love them; some people hate them.

Are they the life and soul - or just slightly annoying? It's the wacky mate, a bit off the wall. In football, it is often the goalkeeper who is the joker in the pack. If you look back over the years, there have been some right royal characters: Bruce Grobbelaar and his wobbly knees; Rene Higuita '“ remember his back flip?

But as you leaf through the history books (or more to the point click on the internet page), for every Grobbelaar, there is a more sensible - or, dare I say, sensitive - soul. A Pat Jennings or a Phil Parkes?

In the aftermath of Brighton and Hove Albion's long-awaited win against Wigan, manager Sami Hyypiä assessed the home debut of Christian Walton. A clean sheet wasn't bad for starters. As the questions mounted up, he also paid tribute to the 18-year-old's "calm" nature. By all accounts, he is a well-grounded individual. Credit must also go to the management for offering the opportunity at such a young age. He has certainly risen to the occasion at White Hart Lane and the Amex.

It is understandable that the club has brought in the experienced Ali Al-Habsi after the injury to David Stockdale, but I was impressed by Walton's all-round game. He came for crosses (big bug-bear for my summarisers), he made saves from short and long range, and his kicking has so far been effective.

In every team, football or otherwise, a mix of character is essential for success. Each group must have its leader, its planner, its workers, and those with special powers to make a difference.

You could argue that the current Seagulls side doesn't have all those elements, but it appears to me that Walton has all the attributes to fill a key role in the future. The emergence of Lewis Dunk and Jake Forster-Caskey is a boost and it would appear supporters can rest assured Walton will follow suit.