Darren Freeman doesn't want Albion to win 6-0 at Southend on Saturday, and he doesn't want to hit a hat-trick either.

No Seagulls supporter needs reminding that was the result in the opening match last season.

Micky Adams' men celebrated their Withdean homecoming with a memorable mauling of Mansfield and Freeman grabbed half of the goals.

It was a dream debut for the Brighton-born marksman, but he has good reasons for hoping lightning is not about to strike twice at Roots Hall.

A week later, after a long overdue victory against bogey side Leyton Orient, Albion sat proudly on top of the Third Division table. Fans were already in the grip of promotion fever.

"Last year we ran riot a little bit and maybe we got carried away," Freeman admitted.

"I don't think we did ourselves any favours by winning against Mansfield and I don't think I did myself any favours scoring a hat-trick either. We were coming back to a new ground, we brought in a lot of new players and it was hard for everyone to click, because we had to get to know each other."

Freeman's burning desire to perform well for his home town club got the better of him.

He was sent off for stamping on an opponent at Cheltenham, then on his comeback from a three-match ban was dismissed again for spitting in an FA Cup tie at Plymouth, which sidelined him for a further four games.

Albion have incurred a suspended £25,000 fine from the FA for their poor disciplinary record and manager Micky Adams has pledged to clampdown on such rushes of blood with a new code of conduct. Freeman cannot guarantee something similar will never happen again. But he has learnt from last season which, for all its ups and downs, still yielded 13 goals and the honour of finishing top scorer.

"When I play I like to give 110 per cent. Coming back to Brighton was that little bit special and I want to be a winner.

"I agree the things I did were silly. Sometimes I let my heart rule my head. You get a little bit frustrated and do silly things.

"When things are going against me and the team I tend to see red. I can't explain it really.

"People call you all the names under the sun for getting involved, but they don't realise how you feel inside.

"I was punished and I accepted my punishment. I could have sulked and been thrown on the scrapheap, but that's not like me.

"I just got on with it and from there turned my season around and started to do quite well again. I was switched around a little bit, playing right wing and centre forward, and I missed those games through suspension.

"I still came up with 13 goals and I have never scored that amount before."

Emulating that tally could be tough this season, with Freeman set to start on the right and competition for places much fiercer.

"We've got good strength this year," he said. "I've known Richard Carpenter for years and he is a great player.

"Steeley looks like scoring goals and we have got the likes of Paul Watson and Danny Cullip from last year, who are also great players.

"There's obviously Harty as well, so it's quality not quantity. It looks like there is me, Harty, Steeley, Bobby Zamora, plus Rambo (Scott Ramsay) fighting for places, which shows how good it is going to be.

"I think if you have got a smaller squad of quality players you are halfway there."

Freeman has vowed to be available for the big kick-off, despite a double hernia which requires surgery and will eventually rule him out for at least a month.

He clinched a morale boosting 2-0 victory against Sheffield Wednesday in last Saturday's final friendly at Withdean with a late header after coming on for the second half.

"I did nothing else, but it was nice to play instead of being in an operating theatre and scoring was a bonus," Freeman said. "The gaffer is the one with a headache now. He has got to pick 11 players from about 20."