Brighton are preparing to argue their case against a ten-point deduction which would mean almost certain relegation.

But the club admit that, whatever the verdict, they could face a long road before bringing a bit of senior success back to Waterhall.

The London Three outfit have been found guilty of fielding an ineligible player on three separate occasions earlier this season and will go before an RFU appeal on Tuesday.

Brighton do not deny they were in the wrong when they put the name Joseph Weir on the team sheet.

They were subsequently docked ten points for each offence, the penalties to take effect concurrently.

Brighton have already had an appeal against the penalty turned down by London Division.

Club chairman Richard Thoms will tell the final hearing at a London hotel, probably chaired by RFU disciplinary officer Jeff Blackett, that Brighton were guilty of an administrative error rather than anything more sinister and will request the penalty be reduced.

Thoms said: "We feel the regulations as they stand do not make allowance for an administrative error.

"We had a couple of Joes at the club. We put the wrong name down on the team sheet and that is classed as an offence.

"We are not saying we were blameless but it was an administrative error."

A points deduction would just about cap another tough season for Brighton at senior level.

They suffered a hefty Sussex Trohy defeat at lower league Hastings and Bexhill last Saturday, though they claim not to have sent a full strength team.

Their latest home reverse, by 37-3 to Old Dunstonians three weeks ago, was a fairly depressing spectacle.

While there was no shortage of spirit from the home players and sparks of individual enterprise in the backs, they were well beaten as a sparse gathering numbering no more than 30 people looked on.

Defeat was rounded off in embarrassing style near the end when the home team tried a midfield move and gifted the ball to Dunstonians to canter in unopposed at the posts.

It was all a far cry from the days when a team coached by former Welsh international Ian Watkins were one of the most feared outfits in London Division.

In Watkins' second season, Brighton won 15 of 16 league games on their way to the Three South East title, with only a last-kick penalty by Cranbrook in a draw at Waterhall denying them a perfect record.

Standards were so high that, when the title was clinched at home to Dartfordians, Watkins was initially reluctant to celebrate because his team had conceded two soft late tries (though the party did eventually start in ernest).

Watkins spoke enthusiastically in those days of how the club, situated on the edge of the city and also to the A27 and A23, could be developed into a decent National League outfit enjoying a good level of public support.

It is a vision which, even now, is easy to share.

Potentially, Brighton have a lot going for them. Not just their location and facilities, which include a state-of-the-art artificial pitch, but also a thriving youth section.

League re-organisation meant they did not go up to London Two after winning their division six years ago.

Watkins left in May of that year after a disagreement behind the scenes and, ever since, they have failed to do more than finish in midtable.

Ironically, Thoms traces the first team's problems back to the year they won the title.

He said: "At the end of Ian's two years, the older players felt winning the league was all they wanted to achieve.

"That is when we started having to identify young players to come through.

"We always knew this would be a difficult season because we've a young side.

"Look at what happened to Hove and Lewes a few years ago. Lewes were nearly out of London Three because they had a young developing side but they have since grown up.

"Hove, sadly for them, went right down to Sussex One. Our youth team, which should be coming on line in the next year or so, are a phenomenal side. It's all cyclical in rugby."