Chris Hughton has faced an unusually long wait for his welcome to the Amex.
He will finally receive the adulation of the Albion faithful 17 days into his reign against Brentford on Saturday.
Once the pre-match applause has died down it will be down to business for Hughton, setting about the task of repairing Albion's abysmal home record this season.
The Seagulls' field of dreams, the bedrock of three top ten finishes in the Championship, has become a graveyard.
The biggest test for Hughton in the second half of the season is turning the Amex back into the fortress it once was, a place where visiting teams find it hard to win and are often beaten.
Instead of the easy pickings they have enjoyed in the past few months, whether travelling from Yorkshire, the North-East or London.
When Albion, unforgettably, came from behind to launch the Amex era in stirring fashion against Doncaster in August 2011, it started a pattern of home success.
In that debut campaign Gus Poyet's side amassed 41 points in front of their own supporters in finishing tenth.
They won 11 times, drew eight and did not lose at home until late September.
They only suffered four home defeats in total, two of them against top three sides Reading and West Ham.
The Amex record was similar in 2012-13 as Albion finished fourth under the Uruguayan.
They gained an extra point at home, again recording 11 victories but drawing nine and losing just three in the league.
The only home defeats in the second half of the campaign came against Arsenal in the FA Cup and Crystal Palace in the play-offs.
Albion were not quite as strong at home under Oscar Garcia last year, although the decline was marginal.
They still accumulated 37 of their 72 points in finishing sixth from ten wins and seven draws.
The number of defeats increased to six, with play-off rivals Derby County and Wigan among those to prosper.
Hughton will have to mastermind a considerable recovery to avoid Albion suffering their worst season at the Amex.
They have won just twice so far, against Bolton in late August and Wigan in early November.
Ten out of their 12 opponents have departed with something, in the cases of Sheffield Wednesday, Middlesbrough, Fulham and Millwall all three points.
One of the six draws was achieved by Sami Hyypia's caretaker replacement Nathan Jones from a two-goal deficit against Reading in the last home outing on Boxing Day.
Hughton begins his Amex tenure with momentum in his favour. Albion are unbeaten for five games, their best sequence of the season.
The clean sheet away wins under his command at Brentford in the FA Cup and at Charlton on Saturday, on the back of the victory under Jones at Fulham, have restored a feelgood factor.
The crowd for Brentford's visit, boosted by a large away following, will be big, noisy and full of anticipation - at least to begin with.
It is not going to be easy for Hughton to repair the Amex damage. Brentford are fifth and thirsting for revenge, next week's visitors Ipswich are third. Then, of course, it is Arsenal again to complete a hat-trick of attractive but difficult home tests.
Albion's record at the Amex under Hyypia this season is even worse than the figures indicate.
Hughton's Seagulls still have to face seven of the top eight. Leeds and Huddersfield are the only other teams in the bottom ten yet to visit.
Hughton has made an encouraging start but, as he pointed out this week, there is no time to relax, no room for letting up.
Albion need to get their act together at the Amex. Their Championship future - and healthy season ticket renewals - depend on it.
Original article
He will finally receive the adulation of the Albion faithful 17 days into his reign against Brentford on Saturday.
Once the pre-match applause has died down it will be down to business for Hughton, setting about the task of repairing Albion's abysmal home record this season.
The Seagulls' field of dreams, the bedrock of three top ten finishes in the Championship, has become a graveyard.
The biggest test for Hughton in the second half of the season is turning the Amex back into the fortress it once was, a place where visiting teams find it hard to win and are often beaten.
Instead of the easy pickings they have enjoyed in the past few months, whether travelling from Yorkshire, the North-East or London.
When Albion, unforgettably, came from behind to launch the Amex era in stirring fashion against Doncaster in August 2011, it started a pattern of home success.
In that debut campaign Gus Poyet's side amassed 41 points in front of their own supporters in finishing tenth.
They won 11 times, drew eight and did not lose at home until late September.
They only suffered four home defeats in total, two of them against top three sides Reading and West Ham.
The Amex record was similar in 2012-13 as Albion finished fourth under the Uruguayan.
They gained an extra point at home, again recording 11 victories but drawing nine and losing just three in the league.
The only home defeats in the second half of the campaign came against Arsenal in the FA Cup and Crystal Palace in the play-offs.
Albion were not quite as strong at home under Oscar Garcia last year, although the decline was marginal.
They still accumulated 37 of their 72 points in finishing sixth from ten wins and seven draws.
The number of defeats increased to six, with play-off rivals Derby County and Wigan among those to prosper.
Hughton will have to mastermind a considerable recovery to avoid Albion suffering their worst season at the Amex.
They have won just twice so far, against Bolton in late August and Wigan in early November.
Ten out of their 12 opponents have departed with something, in the cases of Sheffield Wednesday, Middlesbrough, Fulham and Millwall all three points.
One of the six draws was achieved by Sami Hyypia's caretaker replacement Nathan Jones from a two-goal deficit against Reading in the last home outing on Boxing Day.
Hughton begins his Amex tenure with momentum in his favour. Albion are unbeaten for five games, their best sequence of the season.
The clean sheet away wins under his command at Brentford in the FA Cup and at Charlton on Saturday, on the back of the victory under Jones at Fulham, have restored a feelgood factor.
The crowd for Brentford's visit, boosted by a large away following, will be big, noisy and full of anticipation - at least to begin with.
It is not going to be easy for Hughton to repair the Amex damage. Brentford are fifth and thirsting for revenge, next week's visitors Ipswich are third. Then, of course, it is Arsenal again to complete a hat-trick of attractive but difficult home tests.
Albion's record at the Amex under Hyypia this season is even worse than the figures indicate.
Hughton's Seagulls still have to face seven of the top eight. Leeds and Huddersfield are the only other teams in the bottom ten yet to visit.
Hughton has made an encouraging start but, as he pointed out this week, there is no time to relax, no room for letting up.
Albion need to get their act together at the Amex. Their Championship future - and healthy season ticket renewals - depend on it.
Original article