Bob Booker feared for his future at Albion on the day Micky Adams left for Leicester.
Since then the man put in caretaker charge for two matches prior to Peter Taylor's appointment has slipped snugly back into his role as assistant.
It's been pretty much a case of as you were for the Seagulls, with the exception earlier this week of Danny Cullip's unexpected transfer request.
Thirteen points out of 15 under Taylor has taken them back to the top of the table ahead of Wednesday's home game against Peterborough, although Booker's old club Brentford could steal a march at Huddersfield 24 hours earlier.
The former Bees stalwart, appointed by Adams when Alan Cork left for Cardiff 14 months ago, said: "It's just continued in the vein we were in before.
"I like to think we are building up a good relationship. We've all got on with each other and our jobs and hopefully Peter has been pleasantly surprised.
"Everybody is different and people put things across in their own way, but nothing has really changed that much. He is just adding his own little bits bit by bit."
Booker found himself in a similar situation to Jeff Wood when Steve Gritt was sacked. Brian Horton came in, but Wood was retained as the No. 2.
The inevitable anxiety felt by the backroom staff was swiftly eased when Albion made it clear in the wake of Adams' departure that his successor would have to work with Booker and his colleagues.
"Your immediate thought was for the safety of your job," Booker said. "I am sure Dean Wilkins, Martin Hinshelwood and the rest were the same when Micky first came in.
"The way the club handled it from our point of view was very nice. We were more or less told our jobs were safe.
"It was a really weird situation, because a manager was coming to a team doing well. Normally it's the other way around."
Hinshelwood had been cast in the role of stand-in twice before, so it was nothing new to him when he was asked to assist Booker in his caretaker capacity.
For Booker, however, it was a first time experience which he thoroughly enjoyed, an enjoyment enhanced by Albion's 2-1 wins at Huddersfield and Swansea.
"The reason you first become an assistant is to learn the job, so I would like to think I can become a No. 1 one day," Booker said.
"I learnt from those games. It gave me a buzz and I enjoyed every minute.
"The results were a bonus, but they were down to the players.
"I've worked under a couple of managers at different clubs and you take bits and pieces off each one. I learnt a lot from Micky and no doubt I will learn some more off Peter."
Taylor was comfortable about inheriting, rather than selecting, his backroom team.
"I have never ever been a manager that has gone in and changed all the staff," he said. "I've always wanted to give everybody a chance for me to look at them.
"I've been delighted with everybody here. I knew Martin Hinshelwood before I came and he and Dean Wilkins are doing superbly with the kids.
"Bob Booker and Dean White have been a tremendous help to me, as well as John Keeley with the keepers.
"You ask people about people and I'd heard good things said about Bob in the past. A lot of people have spoken to me since and said what a cracking lad he is, and he is.
"I hope he's still enjoying it and I still allow him to do loads of things, so he has got an important role.
"I've also been told he does a better Norman Wisdom than me, so that's very handy. It means I haven't got to do it any more!"
Albion hope to be laughing all the way to Division One with Taylor and Booker in the New Year and the club has launched a season ticket package to coincide with a potential promotion run-in.
The 11-match deal kicks-off with the January 1 visit to Withdean of Northampton and runs through to the final home League fixture of the season against Swindon on April 13.
Prices are £180 for adults in V block of the south east stand and J block of south stand west and £187 in the south stand main area (blocks B and J/Singing).
The corresponding concession prices are £112 and £115, while adults and concessions pay £112 for the family area.The packages are available at the club ticket office, 5 Queens Road, Brighton, tel: 01273 776992.
Albion's safety officer Richard Hebbard is guest speaker at the next meeting of Seagulls over London on Thursday at the Albert Pub in Victoria Street, close to Victoria Station (7.30pm).
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