Danny Cullip is proving as indestructible as ever at the heart of Albion's defence.

But off the pitch the hard man of the Seagulls' back four is really just a great big softie.

The reason for this change in character is that Cullip now has a six-month-old daughter, Lily, to think about and that has affected his outlook on life.

The image of Cullip cuddling up to his baby girl contrasts starkly with the fearsome challenges which so often leave rival forwards wincing.

"I am a defender and you have got to be winding the opposition up," Cullip said. "It's your job. If you can get them to stop thinking about their game then you are halfway there.

"But as soon as you get home you have got to switch off. I certainly get less sleep now, so it's a bit more tiring, but being a father gives you a different outlook on life.

"You have got more responsibility and you have to make sure you stay in the team to provide a good life for your baby."

Cullip's art is stopping the opposition from scoring, but that has not always been the case.

In fact Albion have Deon Burton, Derby's former Portsmouth forward, to inadvertently thank for his positional conversion.

"Since I started playing full-time, from Oxford onwards, I have been a defender," Cullip revealed.

"Before that I used to play in midfield and I was a striker when I was very young. Everyone was when they were ten weren't they?

"Before I joined Oxford I played for a team called Reading Post Office. Deon Burton used to be the striker for them and it was when I moved there that I started playing at the back.

"The manager, Alan Campbell, used me as a defender. That was probably because Deon was up front. I don't think his mum liked anyone else scoring more goals than him!"

Albion boss Micky Adams has always been an admirer of Cullip's robust instincts.

Adams gave him his League debut at Fulham, took him to Brentford and then bought him for the Seagulls from next Friday's Withdean opponents for £50,000 two years ago following a successful loan spell.

Cullip's career was put on hold for 13 months at Brentford. He suffered cruciate ligament damage in his right knee in a Worthington Cup tie against West Bromwich Albion.

The Worthington Cup is not exactly Cullip's favourite competition. A hamstring strain sidelined him from Albion's showpiece second round defeat against Southampton at Withdean earlier this month.

"It's a bit of a bogey competition for me," he explained. "The year before I did my cruciate we had a big draw at Fulham, against someone like Tottenham I think, and I was suspended for that one."

The hamstring problem which kept Cullip out of the Southampton tie, and Albion's first away win at Wrexham before a typically dominating comeback against Stoke, illustrates his commitment to the cause.

The damage was widely thought to have been incurred in the early stages of the home game against QPR.

Now Cullip has revealed: "I did it on the previous Monday in training after the Northampton game.

"I didn't train on the Tuesday and Wednesday, trained on the Thursday and it wasn't really right, but I didn't say anything and then I did it in the first five minutes of the QPR match.

"It was alright. I just gritted my teeth and got through the game."

That matter-of-fact determination helps explain why Adams holds Cullip, 25 earlier this month, in such high regard.

The Bracknell-born stopper is on course for his 50th League appearance for Albion in their next away match at Huddersfield in a fortnight.

Adams sees him as a future captain of the club, a role Cullip slotted into with comfort at Tranmere last month in the absence of Paul Rogers through suspension.

"Who ever wears the armband it doesn't matter," he said. "I generally talk a lot on the pitch anyway.

"You feel proud to captain the team, but you are still playing the same game. It shouldn't make you play better or worse."

That is Danny Cullip for you, no frills and no emotion - except when he is cradling Lily.