Albion's relationship with live TV coverage is almost on a par with that of Elizabeth Hurley and Steve Bing.

There have been a couple of magic moments but in the main it has been truly forgettable.

They say you never forget the first time, and I certainly don't. The 1983 Cup Final was the best Cup Final I've ever been to. All right, I know I've only been to two and one of those was a replay!

Aside from those two memorable games and the exception of Liverpool in 1984 and perhaps Rushden and Diamonds last season, Brighton's live TV career is possibly on a par with that of former Gillingham turnstile operator Rick Waller.

Leyton Orient, Chester, Stoke and Brentford. Watching Albion play in those games was like listening to Leonard Cohen's back catalogue.

Surprisingly enough one game that wasn't on live TV was the Wembley play-off final of 1991, a game that, Falmer nimbys and public inquiry chairman take note, Albion took nearly 35,000 fans to.

Well next Monday, it's lights, camera, action again for the Seagulls as they travel up the M6 to take on the mighty Wolves.

Personally, I preferred it when everyone kicked off at 3pm on a Saturday, Match of the Day was on Saturday night and The Big Match was on Sunday afternoon.

Even if you couldn't make it to a game there was excitement at home when you could watch the wrestling with your granny while waiting for Final Score.

Those days are gone. Soccer has now sold its soul to the satellite devil, Mick McManus is knocking 80 and Kendo Nagasaki is allegedly living as a housewife in Dudley.

Nevertheless, there is nothing actually like live football and I will be there next Monday in the Black Country, hoping for a change in the Seagulls' fortunes on the road.

Ever the optimist, I hope we can all return in the wee hours of Tuesday morning with a welcome point. Whatever the result, if the Bradford performance is anything to go by, at least there won't be a repeat of our last away showing.

It's strange how anything positive can come out of the devastating events in New York on September 11, 2001, but that's exactly what has happened with the Robert Eaton Memorial Fund.

Regular readers will recall that Albion supporter Robert was killed while working at the World Trade Centre. The charity set up by fellow Albion fans in his memory raised an amazing £37,000 last year, money which has been used to develop a soccer-themed community project for underprivileged kids in the district of Queens, New York.

In the inaugural charity challenge match last season the Albion supporters lost on penalties to their Crystal Palace counterparts but this Friday it's potentially payback time at the Withdean stadium as the teams lock horns again.

Kick off is at 7.45pm, the gates open at 6pm and admission is by programme available on the night, priced £2.

On the subject of worthy causes, has anybody got any football boots their boys, or girls for that matter, have grown out of?

The reason I ask is that Worthing United, in association with British Airways, are running a scheme helping South African charity Kids Care which provides sporting facilities for children in the townships of Soweto and Alexandra.

Basically, these kids have nothing, so every piece of equipment, be it boots or even replica shirts that have become too small or have been updated, are like gold dust.

Worthing United's Graham Hill hopes to take out 100 pairs of football boots at the beginning of next month courtesy of BA, but is currently around the 82 mark. So if you have any old boots in fairly good condition please contact me via email, or pop them into the Worthing office of The Argus in Chapel Road and I will make sure they get to Africa.