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It was strange to see so many empty seats dotted around Amex Stadium for the victory over Aston Villa last Sunday - but it was a reminder nothing stands still in football.

If someone had asked Brighton fans a decade ago if they would still be up for a home game against a Champions League challenger in a season where they have experienced European football for the first time, despite a run of poor form, I suspect they would all have said yes.

But the reality is different.

Brighton fans recognise the giant strides that have been made under the stewardship of owner Tony Bloom. But that does not mean they judge everything through the prism of the club nearly going bust.

For some fans, the current era is all the know. They expect the team to be competitive in the top flight.

The tricky bit for Bloom and chief executive Paul Barber is managing the expectations.

Ask any great sportsman and they will tell you getting to the top (or top six in this case) is exceptionally difficult.

Staying there is even harder.