It has been nearly two decades since Simon Morgan helped Albion achieve promotion from the old Division Two, in a glorious swansong to an 18-year career that saw him play more than 600 games.
Now 53, and for the last four years head of football relations at the Premier League, the memories of that 2001/02 season with the Seagulls are still vivid.
The central defender had missed much of the previous campaign – the last of the 11 he spent with Fulham – after suffering a cruciate knee injury during the summer of 2000. He made just one appearance, a late run-out in a 2-0 win over Wolves, having been told by manager Jean Tigana that he was going to be released after making more than 400 appearances for the club.
“I got fit for the last month and Jean was kind enough to let me come on as a substitute in the last home game of the season,” he remembers. “It was a great gesture.”
A few days later Morgan took a call from Albion boss Micky Adams, one of ten managers he had worked under at Fulham. “There were a few other offers, but I lived 40 minutes from Brighton so it wasn’t a long drive and I had enjoyed playing for Micky,” he added. “I knew his methods and I knew he would have a dressing room full of good characters who knew when to have a laugh. It was a no-brainer really.”
Morgan went on to make 47 appearances that season as Albion, propelled by Bobby Zamora’s 32 goals, achieved a second successive promotion. It was an outstanding achievement considering that a few weeks into the season Adams left to join Leicester City as assistant to Dave Bassett and was replaced by Peter Taylor.
“When Peter came in, I thought ‘Thank God!’ because Micky used to run me ragged in training!” said Morgan. “But, to be honest, not a lot changed. Peter understood what we had as a group and was a very good coach. He just kept things ticking over.”
While Zamora frequently grabbed the headlines, only Stoke had a better defensive record than the Albion. Morgan formed a solid partnership in the middle of the back four with Danny Cullip and there was an experienced core to the team with the likes of Paul Rogers, Charlie Oatway, Paul Watson and Nathan Jones all playing key roles.
And, of course, there was Zamora. Between 23rd October and 21st December, he scored in ten successive games and in the tenth netted both goals in 2-1 win over Chesterfield that took Albion to the top of the table.
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“Bobby made such a difference,” Morgan reveals. “As a defender you knew that if you kept a clean sheet there was always the chance that he could nick you a goal at the other end. And Withdean was a big factor too. It was still relatively new then and opposition teams would turn up and think ‘What’s this?’”
Promotion was secured after a goalless draw against Swindon at Withdean, as rivals Reading and Brentford both drew. Morgan, who scored his only goal in the 2-0 home win over Northampton, played in the final game of the campaign – a 1-0 win at Port Vale – but had already decided to hang up his boots.
“Dick Knight and Bob Booker tried to get me to stay but my legs had gone, it was always going to be my last season. I had a job lined up at Fulham in their community department and went straight back there.”
Morgan also worked for the PFA before heading to the Premier League in 2016. “I act as the link between the Premier League and all of the on-field football matters with the managers, the players and the referees. I go to the Amex every now and then and I love it there. It’s such a brilliant stadium but I know the fans have never forgotten what we achieved in the Withdean era. Great times."