This has been a very hard and testing week but one in which we can take great pride.

We've taken three points from six and in all honesty we deserved a little more. But we have to be happy on the whole.

Nottingham Forest came to the Withdean in good form and with three of the best strikers in the division, hoping to steamroll us Seagulls with pace, strength and enough fire power to shoot anyone down. However, we stifled their threats, outworked them and demonstrated that points are not easily snatched from this part of Sussex.

A lot of praise was heaped on the team for our work ethic and desire to win every onfield contest but, I ask you, does that surprise any Albion fan, as you've been used to that kind of commitment and would not settle for anything less.

Then Tuesday saw us travel to one of the best teams in the League, and one with automatic promotion aspirations in the shape of Sheffield United. Even though we returned empty-handed from Bramall Lane, we felt we merited more.

They have the division's outstanding midfielder in Michael Brown and he got the winning goal but it was us who created the best chances and I for one felt we were comfortable for most of the game. The only problem was we were forced to chase the game and, in the end, just couldn't seize an opportunity.

There were two good points to come out of the Bramall Lane encounter, the first being the magnificent support we once again received from our travelling army of fans. You were a credit and we urge you to continue as you are vital to the cause.

The second was the ovation Bob Booker received as it's always nice to see someone as popular as Dusty get appreciated, as he is a fabulous fella. And even though he milked it for all it was worth, who am I to blame him.

Apparently the fans love him as he's the only player to have celebrated every goal for four years at the Kop end even if he had absolutely nothing to do with it. And he also played well a few times.

This week has seen a few of the players celebrating birthdays. Chris 'The Speedboat' McPhee exited his teens and the old gits added another year to their mounting tally.

Now I'm not going to reveal their ages but Paul Rogers used to go to school with Stan Ogden and goalkeeper Dave 'Shaun's Dad' Beasant voted for Churchill, so you work it out.

And if you're wondering why he's called Sean's Dad, well Bes has been a regular on the south coast for many years and Shaun Wilkinson lives in Portsmouth. There's definitely a resemblance between the two. Also, Dave's the only one who calls him Shaun and coins definitely exchanged hands last week, which we think was pocket money.

And while we're on the subject of Chicken Ass Beasant, he arrived last Saturday at the Nottingham Forest game in a lovely ensemble of suit, shiny white shirt with matching white tie and strutted in like John Travolta.

Sadly, he looked more like 'the Wedding Singer' and was quickly serenaded with Culture Club's 'Do you really want to hurt me?'.

Also Tony Rougier turned up in a lovely cream suit that made him look like the Man from Del Monte. He arrived a little late as, apparently, it was 'total gridlock' on the M25.

And finally don't forget to catch mine and Bobby Zamora's show this Sunday at 3pm on Juice.

Saturday March 22