No one said it was going to be a cakewalk. Defeats against Wimbledon and Walsall over the most forgettable Bank Holiday weekend in Albion's recent history were not in the script.

There has been much mud-slinging and name-calling about the Wimbledon boycott. But however you view it, no one can ever understate what the likes of Liz Costa and co have done for Albion over the years. So the best thing for all concerned is to put the events of last Saturday, both on and off the field, behind us and concentrate on the rest of the season.

Whether 1,500 or 15,000 travelled to Selhurst doesn't alter the fact that Albion failed to take even a point from two of the teams they must surely finish above come next May.

The BBC SCR phonelines lit up like a Christmas tree after Monday's home defeat against Walsall. The producer reckoned if everybody got on she would have missed Emmerdale!

The overriding theme was not "Hinshelwood or Knight out", but "this is the situation we're in, how are we going to get out of it?"

Some fans accused former manager Peter Taylor of bottling and walking out but did he have any other option?

Managers come and go, so do players and, to a lesser extent, directors. Taylor's reputation was tainted after his time at Leicester. His stock improved after winning Division Two with Albion last year and he all but predicted what was going to happen with the budget on offer.

Just imagine if he had stayed. I don't think the team, given the same circumstances, would have done any better under his stewardship. But I'll wager after four games without a goal and three defeats on the bounce certain sections of the crowd would have started the "Taylor Out" chants.

Taylor would have been branded a failure again and, as we know, Dick Knight is not scared of sacking managers. Just ask Steve Gritt.

If Taylor saw that coming, how could anyone blame him for leaving?

He's consigned to Albion history so the club and supporters must look forward.

It's nowhere near a crisis. I believe Martin Hinshelwood has the managerial ability to steer Albion to a comfortable mid-table position, but he can't do it with one arm tied behind his back.

Knight is an Albion legend. What he has done for the club will never be forgotten but if this slide isn't halted back-to-back championships will become dim and distant memories.

Urgent action is required. The club have already scored an own goal by dithering all summer long over Hinsh's appointment. The manager needs the financial clout to bring fresh faces in. The youngsters will develop but it won't happen overnight. Junior Lewis and Simon Morgan need replacing now.

Unusually, there were empty seats at Withdean and one supporter approached the chairman and demanded he spend money on new players.

If things don't change, however much everyone loves the Albion, there will be more empty seats. That would be manna from heaven for the anti-Falmer brigade and a lot more than one season ticket holder will be lobbying Dick Knight as he goes for a cigarette at half time.