Albion are heading for record pre-season ticket sales for their sixth year in the Championship at the Amex.

Nearly 23,000 fans have demonstrated their support for Chris Hughton’s team by renewing their seats.

They have responded to the revival spearheaded by Hughton in his first full season in charge.

Albion went within a whisker of automatic promotion to the Premier League before losing in the play-offs, having battled their way clear of relegation the previous year.

Supporters, liking what they have seen, have secured their seats in numbers for the 2016-17 campaign which kicks-off on August 6.

Chief executive Paul Barber told The Argus: “We are coming up to 19,000 and 1901 members another 3,000, so we are heading somewhere between 21,500 and 22,000.

“The renewal rate was 96 per cent, plus a 1901 renewal rate of 92 per cent.

“We are now moving back towards the peak in the 2013-14 season. We are about four or five hundred short of that and we are back on sale, so there’s a good chance we will end up with a record number which is fantastic.”

A feelgood factor has returned now the club are pushing at the right end of the table again, with a widening fanbase and indications that support will continue to grow.

Barber said: “We also had record numbers this season of matchday ticket purchasers and record numbers of new ticket purchasers.

“The number of people that bought tickets this year for the first time was 26 per cent higher than for any previous year. Also we have a record number of people that weren’t season ticket holders but came to five or more games.

“We also broke our record for membership, in order to be at the front of the queue for buying tickets. That number was up 126 per cent on any previous season.

“If you get things right on the field and get the sentiment right with the fans you can very quickly get a sold-out stadium. It’s not a big leap from where we are to where we could be.”