It's been a season to remember for Chris Hughton and Brighton so far with the remaining half of the season now on its way.The Championship may not be getting anything close to the attention the Premier League is receiving, but it has offered it own breathtaking entertainment all season long.

Last term, the Seagulls came so close to finally making a long-awaited top-flight leap, but were stopped by Sheffield Wednesday in the play-offs. However, that has not dragged them down as Hughton's men have once again proven their Premier League aspirations are still in check with Brighton currently topping the Championship table.

With the south coast side shining, here is why the Seagulls finally set for automatic promotion to the big time...

Hughton factor

The Englishman stepped into the Brighton hot-seat in December 2014 when the club were caught in relegation struggles, languishing in a disappointing 21st place. But the ex-Norwich boss won his first six games in charge, which proved to be enough to see them confirm their status in the division.

Last season, the 58-year-old marshalled a rejuvenated Brighton side to an unbeaten club record after not losing in any of their opening 17 games of the season. The feat, however, failed to inspire the white and blue outfit to Premier League promotion as they fell at the last hurdle.

But this season, the story has been far better and the ex-Newcastle boss has his eyes set on the top tier with Brighton two points clear of Newcastle and a further nine points away from third place Leeds, who have played a game more. This says a lot about the Hughton's managerial ability and he should be getting a lot more recognition than he is.

Cracking backline

The key to a building a successful team is having a solid defensive base.

Hughton seems to have recognised that, too, with Brighton currently boasting the best defence in the league. The likes of Shane Duffy and Lewis Dunk have been key to the success of the team so far with the Seagulls conceding just 18 goals this term.

It is also key to note that the two central defenders are among the top five rated players according to WhoScored, in the division, with Dunk in 1st with a current rating of 7.77, while Duffy is 5th with 7.63.

With both still only 25 and yet to reach their peak, the future looks bright.

Less Pressure

There is always a bonus when a team or a manager plays or manages under a lower amount of pressure. Arsene Wenger his currently on a 13-year run without winning the Premier League and he is still in charge at the Emirates Stadium with the board seemingly satisfied to see the Gunners make a Champions League appearance every season. Chelsea have stormed to the top of the league with the advantage of the likes of Pep Guardiola and Manchester City being the centre of attention.

Though we cannot dispute their quality, we cannot also disregard the fact that Brighton have been helped by having a Champions League-winning boss in Rafa Benitez at Newcastle with a star-studded team expected to walk to the title.

Yet, that hasn't been the case as the Seagulls have given the Magpies a tough run out so far while quietly going about their business. Even when Newcastle lose and Brighton win, the news is mostly about Benitez's men, and it is working in Hughton's favour, with the likes of exciting winger Anthony Knockaert, veteran striker Glenn Murray and midfielder Steve Sidwell helping to make Brighton's move up a division look more and more likely.