Albion manager Micky Adams has picked an ideal replacement for Alan Cork.

The players will respond to Bob Booker, according to one of the new No.2's former team-mates.

Darren Carr was at Sheffield United with Booker. The Seagulls' transfer-listed stopper believes Adams' assistant will have no trouble slotting into the role.

"I was a young lad at Sheffield United when Bob Booker was a midfielder under Dave Bassett," Carr revealed.

"He was well liked there and I cannot see any reason why he won't fit in with the lads as a likeable member of the team.

"He is very bubbly and has a good sense of humour, so he will take over from Corky in that respect."

Carr is not the only Albion player already familiar to Booker.

"I know Watto (Paul Watson), Charlie Oatway, Danny Cullip and Darren Freeman from Brentford, so I'm not coming in cold," he said. "It's nice to meet up with them again.

"Corky had just joined Sheffield United as I was leaving, so I didn't actually touch base with him on the playing side, but I know him from his Wimbledon days.

"From what I have read he will be a hard act to follow, but I'll just be my own man."

He added: "I am enthusiastic and I'm a winner. I was never the greatest player but a good professional and I just pass that on to anyone I am working with.

"Football is in my veins. I have come here to get a foot in the door and give it everything I have got for Brighton.

"I scored against them a couple of times, but I won't be mentioning that too much! It's a big club with a big following and I am glad to be part of the show."

There are other reasons to suggest Adams selected wisely in his search for a new side-kick.

Booker is still regarded as something of a legend by the United half of Sheffield and has plenty of experience embracing both triumph and adversity.

The 42-year-old knows what it is like to be part of a promotion-winning team. He also knows how it feels to to be on the scrapheap.

Booker had battled his way through the lower leagues with Brentford when a serious knee injury and the arrival of Steve Perryman ended his first stint at Griffin Park.

"Dave Bassett came in for me out of the blue at Sheffield United. They were in the Third Division at that time and I shot up there.

"We were promoted in my first year and then the following year went straight up to the First Division, which is now the Premiership.

"It was nice at the ripe old age of 36 to finish up at the highest level and it was good experience for me, working under Bassett."

Booker, somewhat reluctantly, rejoined Brentford under David Webb. The knee problem resurfaced, he was forced to retire and suddenly found himself out of the game.

"You wonder what you are going to do when you have been in football all your life.

"I did a couple of coaching courses and tried to keep busy, but I had a difficult year out of the game.

"Then out of the blue again Dave Webb rang me up. Peter Nicholas had left as youth team coach and I got the job. It was just the lucky break I needed."

Booker looked after the youngsters for seven years at Griffin Park, where he also helped coach the reserves.

Adams noted his potential during his spell as Brentford's boss. Bearing in mind also his links with Bassett, Adams' closest friend on the managerial circuit, Booker emerged as an obvious replacement for another of the Albion supremo's biggest allies in the game.

He left Brentford last Saturday and his appointment was confirmed 48 hours later.

Booker began working with the players on Tuesday and now he is looking forward to his first match at Hull tomorrow night.

"I am totally delighted," he said. "It's a big career move for me.

"I feel as if I have done my groundwork at a lower level with kids and reserves. This is the next step up."