The Championship manager of the year award should be a two-horse race, which does not include Rafa Benitez.

His achievement in taking Newcastle straight back up should not be under-estimated.

Recent history proves it is difficult to adapt instantly to the different demands of the Championship and the Premier League.

Many have tried and failed to bounce straight back, including Norwich and Aston Villa. The other sides relegated last season are lagging well behind Newcastle.

Nevertheless, with the resources and squad at his disposal, Benitez (below left) The Argus: has done no more than to meet reasonable expectations.

I imagine on Tyneside there would have been an outcry if Newcastle were third and heading into the play-offs, instead of still fighting for the title with Albion.

 

Irrespective of whether the Seagulls are pipped for first place or not, there must be a strong chance Chris Hughton will create history among his peers.

He is already a two-time winner with two clubs of the Championship manager of the year, voted for by fellow members of the League Managers Association.

Hughton won the award in 2010 when he steered Newcastle to the title.

He won it again last year, even though Albion finished just behind Aitor Karanka's Middlesbrough and Sean Dyche's Burnley.

That was a departure from a pattern of the prize going to the manager of the champions.

A justified departure too, since Albion had been in relegation bother the previous season, Karanka had a much bigger budget to play with and Burnley had just come out of the Premier League and its accompanying financial benefits.

The Argus: Only one other manager has landed the accolade from his peers twice, Hughton's former Republic of Ireland team-mate Mick McCarthy (above).

He has won it with two different clubs as well, Sunderland in 2005 and Wolves in 2009.

Hughton's prospects of completing a hat-trick are powerful. His rivals will appreciate the character required to pick his players up off the floor to go again after last season's agonising double near-miss in pursuit of a top two finish, then in the play-offs.

Few insiders, or outsiders, expected Albion to be where they are now when they slipped to 13th in the table early in September with a home defeat by Brentford after losing at Newcastle.

Hughton has guided them into the Premier League with intergrity and humility, rare traits in such a cut-throat industry.

No histrionics, no lambasting of referees, no mind games, no bitterness over the way he was ditched by Newcastle and Norwich.

Just a decent man who has done an outstanding job.

His only challenger ought to be the manager in charge of the Championship's other Albion.

Brian Clough's son Nigel has worked wonders at the opposite end of the table with Burton.

The barometer of success should not be confined to silverware. Finishing 19th, 20th or 21st can, depending on circumstances, be a triumph.

It was for Albion under Mark McGhee (below) in the Championship at Withdean in 2004-05, when they survived by a point.

The Argus: Burton in the Championship remind me of Albion as they were then, fighting against the odds. The 7,000-capacity Pirelli Stadium was purpose-built for the National League, not the second tier.

On Saturday, Clough's Burton secured safety with a 1-1 draw at Barnsley. They could end up as high as 17th.

In 2011-12, Albion's first season at the Amex, Burton finished 17th in League Two. Blackburn, still haunted by relegation four points adrift of them, dropped out of the Premier League the same year.

Clough has done a remarkable job, almost as good as Hughton. Both of them would have got Newcastle up too.