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Illegally severed contracts, player sanctions, transfer windows and arbitration panels. Is this football or rocket science?

The bottom line is that whatever is finally agreed and rubber-stamped by the powers-that-be, Albion don't get short-changed when it comes to the regrettable but inevitable departure of Bobby Zamora.

Whenever he leaves, and personally I hope it's not until at least the summer of 2002, his transfer will represent part of the future for the club. Aside from the 30 per cent of whatever fee Albion receive going to Bristol Rovers, the majority of the remainder will go on team strengthening.

Let's hope the new transfer system is the best deal for all parties concerned, rather than favouring bigger clubs and mercenary players.

Despite the commendable deal Dick Knight got for Gareth Barry with Aston Villa, I still feel Albion got the thin end of the wedge. Let's hope lightning doesn't strike twice.

Get ahead, get on the net. Advice that I won't be taking after my experiences of the last week.

Opinions and emotions run very high on the Albion-related web pages and I certainly got top billing last week after raising Falmer issues.

One of my fiercest critics, 'Ferret', apparently not his real name, purports to be the new 'enfant terrible' of the Albion fanzine scene. Come to think of it, is there still a fanzine scene?

If I didn't know any better I would swear 'Ferret' has been stalking me, as he certainly has done his homework.

It's a fair copy 'Ferret'. I confess I am a funeral director during the week, Man City are my second team and I have paid to watch Tom Jones perform on five separate occasions!

Perhaps 'Ferret' and the rest of his cronies would like to remove their anoraks and debate all the issues out in the open.

I know it sounds a bit old fashioned - but that's the kind of guy I am - but 'Ferret', why don't you write me a letter in which you can air all your grievances and opinions, here at the Argus or phone me at BBC SCR on Saturday.

Or is that a bit too old hat for a real-life 21st century boy?

There was a time, around 3.45pm one Saturday afternoon in early May 1997, when I thought Sussex wasn't far off getting its first club in the Nationwide Conference.

Thankfully, Robbie Reinelt came to the rescue, but perhaps it won't be that long before the county does get representation in the highest non-League division.

Langney Sports have, once again, illustrated their ambition to climb the football pyramid by appointing Tony Hylands as their full time commercial manager.

Tony arrives at Priory Lane after being one of the unsung heroes of the Albion commercial department.

With a level-headed chairman in Len Smith, Garry Wilson, one of the best managers in the county, doing his stuff on the pitch and Tony working off it, the dream of Conference football at Langney could yet become a reality within a few years.