Those who fear Norwich City’s squad is wilting in the unforgiving Premier League have forgotten before the champagne football came the hard yards.
Daniel Farke's debut season ended in a limp mid-table Championship finish that left them trailing rivals Ipswich Town, while transfer window after transfer window was an exercise in financial preservation.
That might explain why Farke is taking the Canaries' current struggles for upward mobility in his stride, and why he baulked at the suggestion Brighton can act as a role model to aspiring newly-promoted clubs like City.
"We don't look at other clubs and try to model ourselves on anybody," he said. "We can't bring players in for £10m or £20m. Take Neal Maupay, that would have been a nice transfer for us but we were not capable to do that.
"We are a newly promoted side who spent less than £1m, because we're still paying for some sins of the past. That is why we are an underdog in every game at this level.
"If you look at Brighton they are further ahead than us.
"They are well settled in the Premier League. They have top class players, they have other financial opportunities so, of course, in this regard we can't compete. But it's important that you have a clear idea how you want to work, a clear idea how you want to play.
"I believe our supporters have a good feeling right now we face a tough time.
"You don't need to question the attitude, the lads will stick together and with some key players coming back soon and hopefully no other longer term injuries we can improve.
"There's no reason to doubt ourselves too much or to be too down. You need a good balance between being critical and self critical, but also retaining a belief in our principles."
Farke remains without central defensive trio Grant Hanley, Christoph Zimmermann and Timm Klose but is starting to see light at the end of that tunnel.
"I hope after the next international break and into December Grant and Christoph will be back," he said.
"We spoke about these type of tricky situations before the season but it is one thing to speak about it and another to handle it.
"It's not that we are waiting for these injured players and then we attack this league, no, even in this period it is important we try and gain points when the circumstances are against us.
"That is why we were disappointed against Manchester United because you can say as a newly promoted team it is not the end of the world to lose such a game, but even in these matches I want us to be greedy.
"It's never easy when you have to accept a tough period. Football players are pretty sensitive and pretty often in a tough spell you struggle with self confidence, but we have also many reasons why we are struggling, especially in conceding too many goals. We will be in a much better position when our defensive options are fully fit or coming back."
Farke has shaded both his previous coaching tussles with Seagulls' boss Graham Potter.
"I am a big fan of Graham's approach. You can see his handwriting on his side already," said Farke. "I like how they try to dominate the ball, they're pretty good in the build up, they're flexible in their style and they can switch between formations.
"It will be nice to see him because he is a great guy and a top class coach, but in this game I want the points."
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