Business as usual after special visit

But the Seagulls players reckoned their first game after the Yes verdict was little different to any other.

Apart, that was, from a morning training session and a pre-game meal together to try and shake them out of their dodgy home form.

Rightback Gary Hart said the players appreciated Knight's visit.

He revealed: "The chairman came up and announced the news on Friday morning. Obviously though news travels fast and everyone knew already.

"But he came up with the official letter and had a talk to us.

"He pointed over to where the ground is going to be and said 'we'll be playing there in three years' time'.

"Then it was business as usual.

"I know there were balloons and that before the game but we've got a job to do.

"The ground's three years off so nothing will change for the moment."

Jake Robinson added: "It wasn't hard to keep our minds on the game. The management team helped us through it and kept it professional."

But Robinson thought the new pre-game schedule paid dividends as Albion dominated the first half-hour.

He said: "The build-up was different. We had a little pass and jog around in the morning to get the cobwebs out and I think it showed because we started the game really brightly.

"In the end we see it as two points dropped because of the way we played and the chances we created."

And that note of slight disappointment summed up nicely a party which, while not falling totally flat, lost some shine when Sam Parkin headed the equaliser.

One game might not seem much in the big picture but two dropped points could yet be precious in Albion's bid to stay in the Championship until they get to Falmer.

Some fans in the South Stand did their best to kick-off a carnival feel with songs related to the Falmer verdict.

The celebratory atmosphere, though, never really got going in the wide expanses of Withdean.

And that, in its own way, underlined yet again why Albion cannot wait to get to Falmer.