Brighton seafront at crawling pace with crammed buses queuing up the road.

It sounds like a hellish traffic report. But for Albion fans it was a little taste of heaven.

To celebrate the successful 2003/04 campaign, then chairman Dick Knight organised an open-top bus parade for his players.

The July drizzle failed to keep the fans away as hordes of supporters dressed head-to-toe in blue and white lined the streets.

Chants of “Leon Knight, Knight, Knight!” filled the air as holidaymakers cheered from their balconies at The Hilton Metropole and The Grand.

The then players, including the likes of Danny Cullip, waved and smiled bashfully, not quite sure how to respond.

But amid the joy and celebration of the occasion there was a sense of anxiety.

Although difficult to imagine now, all the talk was of a new stadium – and if it would ever be built.

The glorious American Express Community Stadium was nothing more than an architect’s dream back then and the club was preparing to host the likes of West Ham and Leeds at the Withdean.

A number of fans wore specially printed t-shirts showing John Prescott’s grinning face with messages pleading with him to give the project the all-clear.

Aimee Knowles, then 18, from Peacehaven, summed up the mood perfectly.

She said: “It’s all we talk about. We are not going to let this drop until we have a new ground and a secure future.

“It’s absolutely brilliant that we’ve been promoted but it’s ridiculous that we will have to play top teams at the Withdean.

“We’ve got the best fans in the country and we need a bigger ground so that they can all come to the matches and support their team.”

Mr Knight received a rousing reception as he took the microphone to address the fans.

After thanking the manager and players for the efforts he turned his attention to the new ground. “I have a dream and you have a dream and thousands of Albion fans everywhere have a dream.

“It’s time, Mr Prescott, you allowed us to fulfil our field of dreams at Falmer.”

Manager Mark McGhee meanwhile proudly lifted the play-off trophy for all to see.

He said: “It was without any shadow of a doubt the proudest moment of my career when I led the boys out on to the pitch at Cardiff.”