Chris Hughton harbours no malice towards Norwich City over the manner of his sour exit.

Hughton's newly-promoted Brighton lost 2-0 on his first return to Carrow Road last week since being dismissed in 2014.

The Seagulls' chief was sacked after guiding the Canaries to a mid-table Premier League finish in his only full season, but Hughton prefers to remember the good times.

'I detached any emotion from the fact it was my first time back,' he said. 'Whatever the circumstances there are a lot of good people here and I enjoyed my time here. It was a difficult second season but you always remember that first season we finished in 11th. We had some wonderful evenings here against Manchester United and Arsenal winning and they are always the things you remember. I thoroughly enjoyed my time here and there were a lot of people it was nice to see again.'

Hughton's current club could be confirmed as champions on Monday night if Newcastle lose at home to Preston, but Brighton will definitely clinch the title with a home win against Bristol City this weekend.

'I certainly didn't expect at any point in the season that with two or three games to go not only would we be promoted but have a chance to win the title,' he said, speaking at Carrow Road on Friday night after the Canaries' win. 'At any stage if you had offered me that one I would have accepted it. To have two games left to do it is still a wonderful achievement. I am a little bit disappointed and angry but once we calm down then we have the chance to go again and of course Newcastle still have to win.

'The first opportunity was us at Norwich. The next opportunity is Newcastle playing on Monday, then Newcastle on Friday, us on Saturday.

'You generally want things in your hands. But we relied on a Derby result for us to clinch promotion. Of course, you want to do it by yourselves but it's how it is and we'd take it.'