When Sky Sports wanted to push their coverage of newly-promoted Albion in the Premier League in 2017, they came up with a simple but effective slogan.

“We’ve got Knockaert,” was the headline on their full-page ad in The Argus.

They were tapping into the player who was the face of Albion at the time as they emerged from the Championship.

The words came from the song which so often boomed out around the Amex after special moments from the French winger.

There were other crucial players in that team of course – from Glenn Murray scoring goals to Bruno and Lewis Dunk at the back through Dale Stephens in midfield.

But Knockaert was “simply box office” as BBC Radio Sussex’s Johnny Cantor put it in what is probably his second most quoted bit of Albion commentary behind “it’s the stuff of dreams”.

Special times – when the dream was to get up to the Prem and stay there.

Given that, it is perhaps no surprise Knockaert has described his time at Albion as the best years of his career.

The former Seagulls and Leicester City winger is hanging up his boots at the age of 32.

He has hinted he will be back in football soon as he prepares for a “new adventure”.

Knockaert helped Leicester win the Championship title but it was his time with Albion which will live strongest in the memory.

After a heart-breaking near miss in 2015-16, he was one of the star players of the promotion season a year later.

In the process, he was named Championship player of the year and scored crucial goals including a late-season double at Wolves, winners home and away against Sheffield Wednesday and the decisive late strike against Huddersfield.

While not reaching such heights in the Premier League, there were still magical moments.

His final goal for the club was a stunning shot which flew in off the far post to secure a win at Crystal Palace.

Knockaert finished his career back in northern France, playing for a Valenciennes side who finished bottom of the second tier but reached the semi-finals of the French Cup, where they were on the wrong end of two controversial decisions in defeat by Lyon.

In a lengthy farewell message, Knockaert wrote: “Football has been much more than a job for me.

“It has been a passion, a way of life and an unbelievable source of joy.

“From my first steps on a football field, I have been fortunate to experience extraordinary moments, meet incredible people and achieve dreams I never dared to imagine as a child.”

While thanking all his clubs and many colleagues, coaches and fans, he said his time at the Amex stood out.

He wrote: “A very special mention must go to Brighton and my time there, which will remain the best years of my career, and I cannot thank the club and their fans enough for that.”

The promotion year was hugely emotional for Knockaert, whose father died during the season.

While he was away on compassionate leave, Albion won 2-0 at Bristol City and held aloft his shirt.

Chris Hughton and players travelled to France for the funeral.

Knockaert wrote: “This gesture will remain as important to me as any of the success achieved together on the pitch.”