Albion midfielder Charlie Oatway has revealed the personal anguish behind tonight's Withdean showdown against his beloved Queens Park Rangers.

Oatway's father Tony, like his son, the rest of the family and friends an avid QPR fan, has been battling against serious health problems.

The Seagulls' enforcer in the centre of the park has been given time off by sympathetic boss Steve Coppell, whose older brother Kevin was killed in a car accident last month.

"My dad has been ill with a few things," Oatway said. "It has been touch and go for the last three months and he is fighting and battling on.

"The first thing he asks about is the QPR game. It has been a bit of a difficult time, but the gaffer has stuck by me.

"He has let me have days off when ever I have needed them to go and see my dad and everyone around the club has been very thoughtful. They are always asking how he is.

"There is a great unity here. Obviously the gaffer had a bad time as well, but everyone asks and is concerned and you can tell they mean it as well."

Oatway was given the christian names of several of the Rangers' side that won promotion from the old Second Division 30 years ago, including the likes of Terry Venables, Gerry Francis and Stan Bowles.

"My dad got drunk one night and that was it," he explained. "Someone bet him he wouldn't name his next son after the QPR team. My aunt was the one who said you can't call him any of the old QPR players as his first name, he looks like a right Charlie!

"We used to live in the first house on the left as you come out of the Loftus Road end, so we would climb in over the back of our garden and get in for nothing to watch games.

"Nobody can really know what this match means to me. I grew up next door to that club, my family support them, I'm named after them, so there is a lot of history linking my family and friends with them.

"First and foremost I hope that I play and that we get the three points."

Darius Henderson and former Rangers loan signing Leon Knight are expected to make their home debuts up front for Albion against the title favourites.

Oatway added: "Ian Holloway has made a few good signings for them. They are very strong and compact. I think everyone knows they will be there or thereabouts. My family are no different and they think the same about us, but it's too early to say anything like that."