Albion manager Micky Adams has eliminated the wholesale chopping and changing which has dogged the Seagulls in recent summers.

Three more key players signed extensions to their contracts last week.

Danny Cullip, Charlie Oatway and Paul Watson have all committed themselves to the club until June 2003.

Gary Hart was the first to agree a similar long-term deal.

Only six of the first team squad will be out of contract at the end of the season this time, excluding the short-term arrangements for the injured Warren Aspinall and Danny Davis.

They are skipper Paul Rogers, Darren Freeman, Rod Thomas, Steve Melton, Mark Cartwright and Will Packham.

It means Adams will have a more straightforward job freshening up his squad than has been the case in his first two summers in charge.

"This is the first year I've had my own squad together, because of the contract situation at the club," he said.

"Now we are getting a bit of stability and that is something this club hasn't had for a long time. We have a nucleus for the next couple of years.

"If 11 players are out of contract in the summer it becomes a mad scramble and things have changed since when I played.

"Players become mercenary and it's a case of who ever offers the most money."

Rightback Watson's contract was due to expire at the end of the season, while centre half Cullip and midfielder Oatway have stretched their deals by another year.

"Paul Watson would have been a Bosman next summer, so we didn't want his contract to run out," said Adams.

"Myself and the Board felt in the case of Charlie and Danny that, with a year and a half to go and their value to us as a club, we should offer extensions.

"We are sending out the right signals. We are determined to keep our better players and this is a reflection of how well all three of them have done since they have been here."

Albion have already suffered at the hands of what chairman Dick Knight calls "predatory" clubs, such as Brentford. Ron Noades snatched Carl Hutchings and Lorenzo Pinamonte from the Seagulls last season.

"More and more people are talking to me about my players, but I haven't had any offers," added Adams.

"I have told Paul, Charlie and Danny that even though they have tied themselves to the club they will be made aware of any offers for them.

"Obviously I want to see them do well for Brighton, but they have got to look at playing at a higher level. We cannot guarantee that, although of course we hope that will be the case."

Adams believes teamwork is essential if Albion are to make it into the Second Division next season.

"At this level weaker managers worry about individuals. They will quickly be out of work.

"There are no stars in the Third Division and if there are they get swept away by the big boys. It has got to be about the team."