The Brighton and Hove Albion chief executive acknowledges all the implications that come when a team gains promotion from the Football League.

Brighton have made a great start to their debut Premier League campaign and look set upon staying there for longer than anticipated.

Speaking about his first taste of Premier League football to the Mirror Barber recalled: "Agents were on as soon as we'd been promoted. One of them wanted a six-figure fee just to make a phone call!

Barber: We don't want it to end

“The first came two, maybe three ­minutes after we were ­promoted, well it seemed like ­that anyway!”

Barber has formed an illustrious partnership with owner Tony Bloom after they took Brighton from sharing an athletics ground near Withdean to the 30,000 capacity of the Amex Stadium.

Barber claims to be loving life in the Premier League and hopes for it to long continue.

He added: “I have to say, though, that it has been tough. Enjoyable – but tough, it has been quite a ­journey, but we don’t want it to end. We want to be ­competitive and of course we want to stay in the ­Premier League.

“But at the same time, we need to be realistic. We have a structure that we will not break, not for any individual player. We don’t want to jeopardise the spirit we have created.”

Daniel Levy one of the best

Speaking about his previous experiences, Barber mentions how he learnt his way through the trade,

He said: “I worked with Daniel Levy at Spurs and he is one of the best.

“There was one occasion when I was due a bonus at the end of the ­season. He offered to pay me early – but there would be less money! I don’t know if he was serious or testing me out. But I declined. Daniel was, and is, one of the best at ­negotiating.”

We have never paid over the odds

These negotiations will aid Barber in his bid to tamper around the markets of the Premier League.

With the Premier League comes inflated agent fees and player wages, despite this, Barber prides himself on never paying over the odds.

“We have not paid over the odds,” he said. “Agents? Like in every walk of life, there are good and bad. And some of the fees asked, well, they have been ­exorbitant. I mean, a ­six-figure fee for one phone call? No chance.”

“We are delighted with the players we have managed to sign ­during the summer. We were straight with all of them when they came to see the club.

“The first thing is show them a DVD of the club, the ­history and how far we have come from the brink of going out of the league not so long ago.

“We show them the progress we have made. I believe that helped.”

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