 Brighton & Hove Albion had finished bottom of the Third Division South the season before and were struggling financially , yet manager Don Welsh persuaded the directors to break the club transfer record by paying £ 5 @,@ 000 for a player yet to make his debut in the Football League , and persuaded McNichol to sign . He made his first appearance in the League on 21 August 1948 , at the age of 23 , as Brighton drew with Swindon Town at home . The club finished sixth in the division in McNichol 's first season and eighth , despite having no regular goalscorer – McNichol 's nine goals made him top scorer – in 1949 – 50 . The next year , McNichol played in all of Brighton 's games , the only man so to do , and again finished as top scorer for the season , this time with 14 goals . According to Carder and Harris , he " had a superb season with a brand of play which won him the reputation as the finest inside @-@ forward in the Third Division " . Appointed club captain when Billy Lane took over from Welsh as manager , McNichol flourished under Lane 's attacking policy . He scored 14 goals in the 1951 – 52 season as Brighton narrowly failed to mount a successful challenge to Plymouth Argyle for the title , " was again the star of the side " , and " was thought by many to be the most stylish inside @-@ forward to play for the Albion " . 
 Brighton & Hove Albion <a href='been_done' title='1'><mark>had</mark></a> finished bottom of the Third Division South the season before and <a href='uninflect' title='2'><mark>were</mark></a> struggling financially , yet manager Don Welsh persuaded the directors to break the club transfer record by paying £ 5 @,@ 000 for a player yet to make his debut in the Football League , and persuaded McNichol to sign . He made his first appearance in the League on 21 August 1948 , at the age of 23 , as Brighton drew with Swindon Town at home . The club finished sixth in the division in McNichol <a href='null_genetive' title='3'><mark>'s</mark></a>first season and eighth , despite having no regular goalscorer – McNichol <a href='null_genetive' title='4'><mark>'s</mark></a>nine goals made him top scorer – in 1949 – 50 . The next year , McNichol<a href='been_done' title='5'><mark></mark></a> played in all of Brighton <a href='null_genetive' title='6'><mark>'s</mark></a>games , the only man so to do , and again<a href='been_done' title='7'><mark></mark></a> finished as top scorer for the season , this time with 14 goals . According to Carder and Harris , he " had a superb season with a brand of play which won him the reputation as the finest inside @-@ forward in the Third Division " . Appointed club captain when Billy Lane took over from Welsh as manager , McNichol flourished under Lane <a href='null_genetive' title='8'><mark>'s</mark></a>attacking policy . He scored 14 goals in the 1951 – 52 season as Brighton narrowly failed to mount a successful challenge to Plymouth Argyle for the title , " was again the star of the side " , and " was thought by many to be the most stylish inside @-@ forward to play for the Albion " . 
Brighton & Hove Albion done finished bottom of da Third Division South the season b4 and was struggling financially , yet manager Don Welsh persuaded the directors to break the club transfer record by payin £ 5 @,@ 000 fir a player yet to make his debut in the Football League , and persuaded McNichol to sign . He made his first appearance in the League on 21 August 1948 , at tdaage of 23 , as Brighton drew with Swindon Town at home . The club finished sixth in thdaivision in McNichol  first season and eighth , despite havin no regular goalscorer – McNichol  nine goals made him top scorer – in 1949 – 50 . The next year , McNichol done played in all of Brighton  games , thedaly man soo to do , and again been finished as top scorer for the season , this time w/ 14 goals . According to Carder and Harris , he " had a superb season with a brand of play which won him the reputation as the finest inside @-@ forward in the dard Division " . Appointed club captain when Billy Lane took ova from Welsh as manager , McNichol flourished under Lane  attacking policy . He scored 14 goals in the 1951 – 52 season as Brighton narrowly failed to mount a successful challenge to Plymouth Argyle for the title , " was again the sda of the side " , and " was thought by many to be the most stylish inside @-@ forward to play for the Albion " .