ALBION manager Micky Adams has abandoned the customary overnight hotel stay for the Seagulls' showdown at Torquay.

Instead a bigger than normal squad will be making the 200-mile trek to the West Country early tomorrow morning.

It means the players face a gruelling coach journey hours before kick-off at Plainmoor.

Adams has imposed the extraordinary punishment after last Saturday's 1-0 home defeat by lowly Leyton Orient.

Albion usually travel on a Friday and stay overnight before away games involving long distances.

Even the youth team prepared that way for their midweek exit from the FA Youth Cup at Everton.

But fed-up Adams has lost patience with his fading team. He cancelled their day off from training on Wednesday and has spent the week up north scouting, leaving assistant Alan Cork to put the players through their paces.

"Actions speak louder than words," said Adams. "It's time for us all to stand up and be counted.

"If people think that the season is already over they can forget it. There is a lot to play for yet.

"Some of them are in the last chance saloon. It is time for them to show their true potential."

Albion, 14th, are desperate for a result tomorrow to keep in touch with a play-off place.

Hopes were raised over Christmas and the New Year, when they took seven points from three games including a victory at table-toppers Rotherham and a draw at home to third-placed Barnet.

The Seagulls have since suffered successive League defeats, lost to a golden goal in the Auto Windscreens Shield at Bournemouth and failed to score for five hours.

Torquay (from): Southall; Hill, Holmes, Thomas, Watson, Brandon, Platts, O'Brien, Russell, Bedeau, Griffiths, Williams, Aggrey, Donaldson, Northmore, Simb, Tully.

Albion (from): Walton; Watson, Carr, Cullip, Crosby, Campbell, Mayo, Rogers, Oatway, Aspinall, Thomas, Hart, Cameron, Freeman, Pinamonte, McPherson, Westcott, Ramsay, Armstrong, Palmer, Ormerod.

Albion still have tickets left for their next home match against Darlington at Withdean a week tomorrow. The game at Northampton on February 19 is all-ticket, with seats on sale from Monday.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.