Rod Thomas knows some good friends are about to experience the desolation of dropping out of the Football League.

Thomas has connections with all three clubs involved in the battle to avoid relegation. He played for both Chester and Carlisle, Saturday's visitors to Withdean. Thomas, made available for transfer with a year of his contract still to run, also knows the manager, his staff and some of the players at Shrewsbury.

"Kevin Ratcliffe was my manager at Chester and he has got the same assistant, physio and a couple of players now at Shrewsbury," Thomas explained. "I had eight months at Chester and it was an enjoyable time. I was at Carlisle for a lot longer, four years. To see them all in this situation is a bit unfortunate, but the League table doesn't lie. If it was possible I wouldn't want any of the three to go down."

Shrewsbury will be relegated if they fail to win at Exeter. But if Ratcliffe's side triumph then Carlisle must beat the Seagulls to guarantee their survival. A draw would only be good enough if Chester fail to win at home to Peterborough. The Cumbrians could escape even if they lose at Withdean, providing Chester also lose and do not gain two goals on them in the process.

"It's strange that it has come down to the last game again for Carlisle," Thomas said. "They were in exactly the same situation last season, so they should know better. It's not going to be easy for Carlisle against us with the run we are in. I wouldn't be surprised if Shrewsbury get out of it and Chester go down."

If Thomas is right then Andy Crosby will experience mixed emotions. The big central defender, who joined Albion from Chester for £10,000 last summer, hasn't got a lot of time for their American owner Terry Smith. A Football League inquiry ordered Crosby's former club to pay him £3,800 in outstanding bonuses and wages.

"I know a lot of the players at Chester and I obviously don't want them to be relegated, but I wouldn't describe the fella that bought the club as a friend," Crosby said. "Kevin Ratcliffe signed me for Chester and I know some of the Shrewsbury lads as well. We can help them both out. We will all be up for it for our professional pride. We have gone 13 games unbeaten and we want to make it 14."