Gus Poyet finally severed his links with Brighton and Hove Albion today after becoming head coach of Sunderland.

The team is currently rooted to the bottom of the Premier League although, I am sure Gus will see the funny side.

Poyet, the 8th most famous Uruguayan in the world, was probably Albion’s most flamboyant and charismatic manager ever - well, since Barry Lloyd.

He turned up in November 2009 with one target, to get the Albion to the Championship in time, for the first league game and Falmer, this was achieved with aplomb.

I was lucky enough to attend all his Thursday morning pre match press conferences during the first season at the Amex.

Poyet would answer even the most ludicrously irrelevant question (usually mine) as eloquently and elaborately as he could.

Once his watch alarm went off  and quick as a flash he quipped: ‘’Don’t worry it’s not my heart.’’ Laugh? I nearly asked a relevant question.

Occasionally before the cameras started rolling, there would be a comedy double act between Poyet and Charlie Oatway, usually ridiculing the latter’s fear of flying and being sent on some improbable far flung scouting mission. 

I am pleased to see Oatway has also gone to the Stadium of Light, which shows a loyalty all  too rare in the modern world, let alone the football one.

Until the last few days of his Albion tenure Gus Poyet would always conduct his interviews with a laugh, a wink and smile and I expect a majority of Albion fans wish him , Oatway and Mauricio Tarrico well in the north east, although I think Tarrico might find it a tad cold. I once saw him walking around inside at The Amex with his hat and gloves on, and this was in April!

But now it’s time to get firmly behind Oscar Garcia, and his team. Although after last Saturday’s performance if his watch alarm went off, I might have a look around for one of those defibrillators.