Albion manager Mark McGhee today urged supporters to back the Seagulls' fund-raising appeal and vowed to get on with his job, in spite of uncertainty over his future.

The Argus yesterday revealed the club are hoping to raise £2 million from fans to cover a shortfall accumulated during Dick Knight's seven-year reign as chairman.

The contracts of McGhee plus star players Leon Knight and Danny Cullip expire at the end of the season, but Albion cannot afford to renew them until plans for a new stadium at Falmer are finalised.

McGhee said: "The appeal comes at the end of a period when Dick Knight has somehow managed to keep paying the bills and the wages and the club running.

"We have taken on councils and not only all the objectors but the Government as well and the appeal for the stadium, which has cost fortunes. There is not a bottomless pit, so we need help.

"As far as I am concerned obviously it is not an ideal situation. I have bought a house down here and I could be out of work in eight months for whatever reason, so it's not ideal but it is real.

"It's not someone being clever or trying to pull a flanker over anyone. The fact is the club are not in a position at the moment to talk to me about a new contract, to talk to Danny Cullip or Leon Knight, and therefore we all have to get on with our jobs."

The public inquiry into Falmer, reopened by Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott so that seven alternative sites can be re-examined, does not start again until January 11.

McGhee is optimistic Albion can still keep hold of Knight and Cullip.

"If we reach a point at the end of the season where we cannot afford to renew Danny Cullip's contract or to renew Leon Knight's contract, the players have got to make sure they are in demand elsewhere and can continue to earn a living in the professional game at some other club," he said.

"I don't think that will happen, because I think we will get help from supporters. Dick does a brilliant job in raising finance and I am convinced we will get permission for the stadium, which will galvanise this club for the future and make it a force."

McGhee also revealed the cash crisis will not affect his plans to retain on-loan Chelsea midfielder Alexis Nicolas, although it has reduced the chances of signing another striker.

"We are still looking for one," McGhee said. "The problem is it is on terms which make it almost impossible for us to find one. We are very limited in terms of wages and that sort of thing.

"If we found the right one then I would go to Dick and explore the possibilities.

"At the moment I haven't got any possibilities other than a couple of young players at a couple of clubs that might do us, but I want to see Chris McPhee before I make a decision about bringing in some other young player from some other club.

"Alexis was already built into the equation, so there is enough for us to extend Alexis beyond his present period."

Knight, seeking his first goal of the season against Wolves at Withdean tonight, said: "I've got eight months left on my contract, that is all I can really say. It looks like we are in a sticky patch but we have just got to get over it.

"I have just got to work hard and enjoy the eight months that I am here, or if they do get the situation right then I will be delighted to sign. If they don't then that's football, you just have to move on and get on with it.

"To be honest I'm not happy to wait. I've spoken to Danny (Cullip) as well and he's not happy to wait, but there is nothing you can do about it. We have just got to concentrate on winning games."