Brighton and Hove Albion boss Steve Coppell has urged match-winner Paul Brooker to stay.

Brooker, on target in Saturday's 1-0 home win over Nottingham Forest, has still not signed a new contract.

Coppell believes the uncertainty surrounding the former Fulham winger is helping him produce his best form but he is keen for Brooker to commit his future to the Seagulls.

"I haven't been involved in any of this," said Coppell. "As far as I was aware a contract had been agreed but it hasn't been signed.

"You have to respect that players are in a very strong position.

"If you are a good player coming to the end of your contract there are going to be people after you.

"If Paul wants to test himself in deeper waters then he has got to play well to do it, so it is only to my advantage.

"Long term we obviously want him at the club. I think he is a terrific asset.

"He has still got an awful lot to add to his game and improve but he makes us that little bit different.

"He is hard to tie down. Teams cannot leave him alone and yet they don't really want to assign somebody to him.

"He is wise enough to know where to go and where not to go, so he can be a handful."

Bobby Zamora, watched again by Spurs chief Glenn Hoddle, set up Brooker with a quickly taken free-kick as Albion clinched their fourth Withdean win in a row.

They go into tomorrow night's match at FA Cup semi-finalists Sheffield United two points clear of the relegation zone after the Blades held Stoke to a goalless draw.

"We don't want it to go downhill from here," Coppell said. "We have got to try and push on and take advantage of this situation.

"People are not expecting a lot from this spell of matches, so if we can get some more points it would mean a great deal.

"We are getting there. We are nowhere near where we all want to be but we have a fighting chance now."