Junior McDougald wishes he had stayed at Albion for longer.

Dagenham's FA Cup goalscoring hero has admitted he regrets quitting the Seagulls for Rotherham.

McDougald's £50,000 move to the Millers seven years ago turned sour after he top scored for Albion in successive seasons.

The Daggers' 28-year-old marksman still reflects on what might have been with former Albion team-mates Jeff Minton and Peter Smith, now also in non-League football with Canvey Island and Grays.

McDougald revealed: "I still talk to Jeff and Peter and me and Jeff both say the same things.

"It is only when you leave somewhere sometimes that you realise how good a club it was. I have fantastic memories of Brighton. The support was so good and they have such potential.

"I thought I was doing the best thing for my career when I left. I wasn't to know I would go to Rotherham, score on my debut, get injured in the same game and not play for three months.

"Then I came back prematurely and was out for another two months. I had the opportunity to go to France and did well out there.

"With the gift of hindsight maybe I would have stayed at Brighton for another season or two and established myself."

McDougald, looking for a route back into League football with Dagenham, gets another chance in the spotlight in Saturday's fourth round FA Cup tie at Norwich.

"It's a shop window, an opportunity to show what you can do," he said. "I am no different to anyone else. I want to play at the highest level I can and I want to keep scoring goals because I am out of contract in the summer."

Finding the net has not been a problem for the Texas-born striker. His clincher in the 2-0 home victory over Second Division Plymouth in last week's third round replay continued his record of scoring in every round of this season's competition.

McDougald also has the unique distinction of netting in the third round against League opponents for Conference club Dagenham in each of the last three seasons.

He equalised in the 2-2 draw at Plymouth, was on target against Charlton in 2001 and in last season's 4-1 home defeat by Norwich's East Anglian neighbours Ipswich.

"Even from my time at Brighton I had two good seasons there and finished top scorer both times, but I think in total I only got about 13," he said.

"I remember then always looking for that magic number of 20 in a season. What pleases me more now is that I am scoring consistently in League and Cup.

"I am into double figures and I didn't even start the season because of injury, so things are going well in that respect.

"I didn't play particularly well against Plymouth. I spent most of the time chasing their rightback!

"I wasn't happy about the role I was asked to play but you have to do it for the team sometimes and I managed to score once I went back up front for the last 15 minutes."

McDougald's jubilation was dampened by news of Albion's exit at Norwich the same night, wrecking his dream of facing his old club in round four.

"The boys were celebrating in the dressing room and the Sky cameras were there," he said. "One of the technicians told us the result straight away and I was a little bit disappointed. I really wanted Brighton to win."

McDougald, an extra on the Sky TV soap Dream Team when he isn't scoring goals, has cut short the name on the back of his shirt to Junior to reflect how most people refer to him and his admiration for Brazilian football.

He will also be in his favourite No.13 at Carrow Road, the same number he wore for England's youth team years ago when finishing top scorer in the Nordic Championships.

Could it be unlucky 13 for Norwich?

Former Albion FA Cup star Gary Stevens is guest speaker at a meeting of Seagulls over London tonight at the Royal Oak pub in Tabard Street (7.30).

Stevens was named man of the match in the 1983 final against Manchester United.