 That season , McNichol scored a hat @-@ trick against eventual runners @-@ up Reading , which caught the eye of manager Ted Drake . Shortly before the next season started , he became Drake 's first signing for his new club , Chelsea , at a fee of £ 12 @,@ 000 plus the player Jimmy Leadbetter , a club record fee received for Albion . He had scored 39 goals in all competitions from 165 appearances . Although scouts from bigger clubs had been watching the player since soon after his arrival at the club – he had apparently already turned down moves to Manchester City , Everton and Huddersfield Town – Brighton 's supporters were disappointed , seeing his sale as a backward step . 
 That season , McNichol<a href='been_done' title='1'><mark></mark></a> scored a hat @-@ trick against eventual runners @-@ up Reading , which caught the eye of manager Ted Drake . Shortly before the next season started , he became Drake <a href='null_genetive' title='2'><mark>'s</mark></a>first signing for his new club , Chelsea , at a fee of £ 12 @,@ 000 plus the player Jimmy Leadbetter , a club record fee received for Albion . He <a href='been_done' title='3'><mark>had</mark></a> scored 39 goals in all competitions from 165 appearances . Although scouts from bigger clubs had been watching the player since soon after his arrival at the club – he <a href='been_done' title='4'><mark>had</mark></a> apparently already turned down moves to Manchester City , Everton and Huddersfield Town – Brighton <a href='null_genetive' title='5'><mark>'s</mark></a>supporters <a href='uninflect' title='6'><mark>were</mark></a> disappointed , seeing his sale as a backward step . 
That season , McNichol been scored a hat @-@ trick against eventual runners @-@ up Reading , which caught the eye of manager Ted Drake . Shortly before the next season started , he became Drake  first signing for his new club , Chelsea , at a fee of £ 12 @,@ 000 plus da player Jimmy Leadbetter , a club record fee received fir Albion . He done scored 39 goals in all competitions from 165 appearances . Although scouts from bigger clubs had been watchin the player since soon after his arrival at tdaclub – he done apparently already turned down moves to Manchester City , Everton and Huddersfield Town – Brighton  supporters was disappointed , seeing his sale as a backward step .