So why did it take 11 weeks for Albion to promote Martin Hinshelwood from within their coaching structure?

That will be the question on the lips of fans today as they digest the news that their lucky mascot as a caretaker boss is now in more permanent command.

It was certainly what they were asking as sports staff at The Argus started fielding telephone calls last night.

Media men who met chairman Dick Knight at The Grand on Brighton seafront also had that at the top of their list of questions.

They never got a chance to ask. The Seagulls chairman tackled the issue head on and said why his 49-year-old former youth football chief had been his favourite among a wide-ranging list of applicants.

Knight called for fans to take a look at his record in the club's revival over recent years and asked that, based on that evidence, they trust his judgement over this latest big decision.

Family business had delayed the process slightly, he said, but mainly it was a question of being patient and opting for substance over glamour.

No-one was expecting the top man to say whether or not Hinshelwood was Seagulls' first choice to step into the void left by title winners Micky Adams and Peter Taylor.

It hardly matters now. Hinshelwood has served a thorough managerial apprenticeship over the last 25 years and that, said Knight, helped him beat off a lot of stiff competition for this chance.

Knight revealed his list of possible new managers included a coach who worked at the recent World Cup, rumoured to be Cameroon's Winfried Schafer.

Plenty of other names have done the rounds in those 11 weeks since Taylor's shock departure.

The likes of Tony Adams, Teddy Sheringham, Steve Coppell, Danny Wilson and Terry Burton have two things in common.

All are better known than Hinshelwood and all have a lot less knowledge of what has made Albion tick in recent years.

It was the second of those factors which held sway when, after almost three months of groundwork, Knight spent last weekend making a final decision and seeking his Board's unanimous backing.

The Albion chairman said: "I saw Martin quite early on in this process, which has been thorough and painstaking because I was determined to get the right man.

"I have seen some very interesting candidates but I called the Board together over the weekend and said I was going to offer the job to Martin and everybody agreed.

"We feel he has got all the qualities but it was necessary to evaluate all the different candidates.

"The Brighton job will always generate lots of applications but I am not interested in looking at the usual suspects of those ex-managers who are out of a job.

"I am more interested in looking at people who are good at their job and therefore are already in an existing job.

"Martin was in that mould. He knows the club inside out."

Hinshelwood is certainly not flash. Nor has he spent too much time in the media limelight during his lifetime in professional football.

His initial address at yesterday's press conference lasted less than a minute and he looked a touch nervous as the cameras and microphones were pointed in his direction.

The former Palace and Portsmouth man, who comes from a strong footballing family, could not be further from the 'designer managers' his predecessor Adams so dislikes but some Albion fans were so keen on.

True, a big name would have created a real buzz when arriving on the south coast.

Possibly as much of a buzz as Gianluca Vialli did when he found his way to Watford last summer.

Watford and Wimbledon have both promoted in-house recently as English football's second tier appear to get a greater grip on reality.

Knight said: "Even in the few weeks since I started this process, football has changed dramatically. The whole infrastructure is changing and I believe we need stability.

"Martin has got those qualities of long term loyalty.

"He has got hard work, dedication and good tactical nous, his teams play with style and I am confident we will give a good account of ourselves.

"In Martin I have a chap who I have worked with, who I get on well with, which is important, and we will work together for the common good of the Albion.

"In this time of tremendous fragility in football and concerns about clubs surviving we are solid and Martin is one of the family."

As such, he can expect to be trusted with the family's spending money as he looks to build a squad for Division One.

Seagulls will scour the list of free transers and Bosmans as intently as any club but Knight insisted he would pay out a fee if necessary A defensive replacement for Simon Morgan was the first necessity mentioned by the chairman when asked for clues about new recruits.

He added: "We are also looking to get some extra strength up front. Lee Steele has left so we are looking to bring in more striking power.

"Possibly a midfielder as well but we have got a number of irons in the fire.

"We have an overall budget so if that involves transfer fees so be it."

With that, Hinshelwood accepted the congratulations of youth team sidekick Dean Wilkins, stepped outside for a photo call in the late afternoon sunshine and prepared to extend his perfect record as Seagulls' manager.

In three stints as caretaker, he never tasted defeat and one long-serving reporter reminded him of that lucky mascot tag.

"It would be nice if I could do a full season like that," he replied.

Knight nipped in like a latter day Peter Ward to fire home the punchline.

"Up until Christmas will do for me," he said.

That raised a laugh. Now fans wait to see whether Knight's decision stands up to the toughest questions of all out on the park.