Was it a backhanded compliment or a good old fashioned case of sour grapes?

A visiting pressman from over the Severn Bridge, speaking at around 10.00pm at Withdean last Thursday evening, pronounced: "Take Zamora's goals away from Brighton and they'd be fighting relegation."

I think I'll go with the latter. But talk and speculation about Albion's young striker will only increase as he again approaches 30 goals for the season, while topping the scoring charts for the second successive year is more than a possibility.

But just as Tim Henman chokes in major tennis tournaments, Albion will, in the not too distant future, sell Zamora.

The burning questions are to whom and, more importantly, for how much?

The issue over the fee is clouded by this 30 per cent sell-on clause involving Bristol Rovers, although I was interested to see that Albion fanzine 'Keep the Faith' came up with a novel way of getting round this financial obstacle.

They suggested that Albion sell Bobby to nearby Crawley for £5, then by the terms and conditions agreed, Rovers would receive £1.50. Crawley would then sell Bobby back to the Albion for £10, representing very good business for them at 100 per cent profit. When the real time to sell him came, the Albion would keep all the proceeds.

Unethical? Definitely. Dishonest? Possibly. Illegal? Debatable.

Coming from the club where ownership of a multi-million pound asset, ie The Goldstone, was sold for £56.25 anything's possible. But I doubt Dick Knight would contemplate going down that road as he would incur the wrath of almost every Bristol Rovers supporter around the globe and deep down, after Albion's own past history, who could blame them?

But how would that reaction compare to the mood of Albion support if Dick sold Bobby to Crystal Palace?

It's no secret that Selhurst Park boss Trevor Francis has watched the Albion hot-shot. But surely, whilst every player has his price, there is one club Dick Knight could surely never sell Bobby to?

But if not them, then who?

As he comes from this end of the country, well relatively speaking, Bobby should give the likes of Everton and Middlesbrough a wide berth. He should look closer to home and, has it is clear they have the funds, the best end to the story would be for Bobby to return to his beloved West Ham United with a nice fat cheque for between £4 and 5 million coming in the opposite direction. But, of course, not until the summer with the Albion looking forward to Division One football!

Time was when top flight Premiership football was the hottest ticket in town, more exciting than a night out with Jamie Theakston, more entertaining than watching Albion-loving local model Jordan give birth on the net, more bite than Mike Tyson. But there are now clear indications that the bubble is well on the way to bursting.

Firstly our own domestic league turns out to be less attractive in TV terms than Blind Date and now a number of the so-called passionate supporters appear to have had enough.

I recall when Middlesbrough opened the Riverside back in 1996, there was talk of long waiting lists for season ticket applications. But less than six years on they can't fill the ground for the visit of Manchester United in the FA Cup. For the league game against Charlton the said passionate season ticket holders clearly voted with their feet. Either that or they all came dressed as red plastic seats.

Yet last week the same club was prepared to pay Dwight Yorke £37,000 a week. I think the words most apt are 'recipe for disaster'.

As my Granny used to say "It'll end in tears!"