Do you think the Premier League is the toughest in the world? That’s what many call it and understandably so given the quality of the top teams, the increasing size of transfer fees and wages, and the sheer exposure that it is subject to all over the globe.

But does that make it true? I don’t think so. I’m about to return to the top tier with Brighton and for much of the summer I’ve been asked the following questions:

“How will you adjust to the Premier League?”

“How many signings will you need to make?”

“How much money will you need to spend to be competitive at the next level?”

So what are the main differences between the Championship and Premier League and is the gap really that large?

My career has almost exclusively been spent between the bottom half of the Premier League and the top half of the Championship so I have a very good insight into both and the qualities needed for relative success.

My opinion may surprise many inside and outside of the game, but it’s this: I have found it easier playing Premier League football than that of the Championship.

As a player, the physical, tough, nature of the Championship, coupled with the fact that there are eight more games to play in, often with much smaller squads, make it such a hard league.

The time to prepare both mentally and physically between games is often nonexistent and you are frequently playing with knocks, strains and fatigue due to the sheer volume of matches. If you are a tactically adept footballer, you will actually find the Premier League more suited to your qualities, where reading the game and being positionally sound are just as important as physical attributes.

You can add this to the fact that the Premier League calendar rarely has midweek fixtures, giving teams and players time to heal from the previous game and adjust tactically to the next possible opponents.

I would also say that in my experience the difference in quality between the bottom half of teams in the Premier League and the top half of the Championship is a lot closer than people make out. What affects opinion on the contrast are external influences such as inflated wages, bigger transfer fees, and increased media exposure.

However, if you actually sat and analysed a game between, for example, Watford and Burnley last season, would it be that much of a higher standard than Sheffield Wednesday against Fulham? In playing these types of games I can honestly say it’s minimal at best.

In fact, I’d go further. I think that the sheer amount of money spoken about in today’s bloated transfer market has blinded people when it comes to appraising the standard of the Premier League, especially in comparison to that of the Championship.

Obviously, the top seven teams in the Premier League are miles ahead in terms of quality and size of squads. But last season when Everton finished seventh and Southampton eighth the gap was a huge 15 points, while a difference of only six points separated 8th place from Watford in 17th. That, I believe, is a more realistic appraisal of how close most teams are to the relegation zone and just how tight the bottom half of the Premier League is.

The argument that it is a big step to the Premier League is understandable – especially to compete against the power of Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United etc – but that is not where a club such as ours at Brighton will be truly measured.

Success for us this year is breaking that 40-point barrier and maintaining our Premier League status for the following season, and that entails competing with teams such as Bournemouth, Burnley and Watford. It does not mean we have to spend over £20m on a player to guarantee our goals this season. Having a strong team spirit and structure are far more important qualities, at any level.

The incredible sums we have seen committed already this summer on players has further distorted the view that the key to success is spending in the transfer market and we have become obsessed with size of fees and wages. To add perspective, we should also factor in the increase in TV rights money and the conclusion is as simple as the fact that football is operating in a market.

If the prices of players have gone up it’s because the market has dictated that, it’s not the actual quality of player which evaluates the fee. It’s normal for supporters to worry if the team they are following is up against one which has been signed for millions of pounds but the fact remains that the beauty of this amazing sport that it is still 11 playing as a team against 11.

At Brighton we will do well to remember that, to play without fear and enjoy the experience, because if we do we may have a few “multimillion-pound superstars” ourselves.