Guy Butters has changed his mind about his retirement plans.

The experienced stopper is even prepared to contemplate the possibility of earning a new contract following an astonishing transformation in fortunes.

It was only a couple of months ago that Butters was down in the dumps.

Resigned to a diet of more Reserve team football, he told the Sports Argus he expected this season to be his last.

Albion's big Guy was the butt of fans' jokes until a crop of injuries in the centre of defence gave him the chance to prove he could still do a job for the team.

He made his first appearance for ten months against Luton in August and has not looked back.

Butters, 34 next week, has been an ever-present rock since then, chipping in with goals at Plymouth and Rushden and Diamonds. Suddenly the future looks an awful lot brighter.

"That's what happens," he said. "Managers get a few injuries, they are down to the bare bones and they have to pick players they have not used before.

"You just have to keep yourself fit. It's hard really, when you come in you know you have got to play your best just to try and keep your place.

"I am pretty pleased with my own form. I am still working on my fitness but I am just glad to have got the chance to show people how I can play.

"I am not getting any younger. The way things were going under the previous manager (Steve Coppell) it didn't look like I was going to get a start this year.

"I was shipped out on loan to Barnet last season and things looked a bit bad for me. Now things have turned around.

"If we keep the same sort of set up and I am doing all right myself towards the end of the season, I am still playing and we get promotion, then you never know I might get another year, but it's too early to say at the moment."

The vast majority of Butters' appearances this season have been alongside Danny Cullip.

Butters played with some formidable centre halves at Spurs, Portsmouth and Gillingham, and he rates Cullip highly.

"Against Grimsby recently we had to play against Iffy Onuora. I know Iffy from my days at Gillingham and he is quite a handful.

"I was glad he was playing on Danny's side, but Danny coped with him really well.

"Danny is a good leader. He has been captain now for a couple of years and he is one of those sort of players who leads by example.

"He always lets you know if you are doing things wrong, he always encourages if you are doing well, which is the sign of a good captain. I am sure he can go and play at a higher level.

"I'm not too sure what the situation is with Steve Coppell. I read on the teletex the other day that he might make offers for a few people but I assume it is going to take a bit of money to prise Danny away from Brighton because he is vital to our success.

"I've seen other centre halves at lower division clubs get a move to a bigger club, so I cannot see why it can't happen to Danny.

"He has been doing it consistently now for two or three years, probably longer than that, so he deserves his chance.

"I am sure if a bigger club is interested and they came up with the right sort of money then the people of Brighton wouldn't begrudge him going to a bigger club."

Albion's defensive solidity disappeared in Tuesday's 4-0 drubbing at Brentford.

Butters believes that was more of a blip than a sign of things to come.

"At the moment we are in a transitional phase where we don't know who is going to be the next manager," he said.

"Everyone that plays against us now is wanting to beat us, but I think we can clinch promotion.

"Things didn't work out for us in Division One last season but that was good experience for everyone.

"People might have thought we would have a hangover from coming down but we have proved that isn't the case."

Butters has played in front of three different keeps this season in Michel Kuipers, Ben Roberts and Ross Flitney.

Roberts is creeping closer to a return from the back problem which has ruled him out since the start of September.

That could have an impact on Flitney's second month on loan from Fulham.

Caretaker manager Bob Booker said: "It's always difficult keeping three keepers happy, both on the football side and on the financial side.

"We will have a look at it once Ben has declared himself fully fit. That will probably determine what we do with Ross but he's done a good job."