Albion's success on the pitch is putting pressure on their bid to move to a new stadium at Falmer.

If they were to be promoted at the end of this season, Albion would be given just three years to bring their temporary home at Withdean up to the standards demanded by the Football League.

The club want to build a new stadium at Falmer and have just submitted planning applications for two sites there in the hope of kicking off the 2004-2005 season in a new home.

Meanwhile, Albion are looking at increasing the capacity at Withdean by putting in seats at both goal ends.

Chief executive Martin Perry said: "If we get into the First Division we have three years to be all-seater, which of course we already are, and to have a capacity of 10,000. They are the League regulations.

"It puts pressure on us to do something at Withdean but, more importantly, to get to Falmer."

Perry acknowledges that costs such as players' wages and other costs will go through the roof if Albion, second going into today's home game against Colchester, are competing against the likes of Portsmouth and Manchester City next season.

They can only squeeze around 7,000 fans into Withdean at present and every League match is quickly sold out.

Perry added: "At the moment 1,000 tickets sell in three hours, so quite clearly demand is way over the current capacity. To try to cater for that and to assist with the huge additional financial burden of being in the First Division we need to look at the situation very urgently.

"Now that the Falmer planning application is in we are looking at Withdean to see what we can do at both ends.

"The turnstiles and exit gates at the east end are already running close to capacity, so that might be difficult.

"We also have to take into account that by increasing the capacity we have to provide a minimum of ten per cent for the away team for League games and 15 per cent for cup ties, then there are issues of segregation. I suspect the solution will be a combination of the two ends."

Albion have already put in extra uncovered seats either side of the goal at the east end for away fans and some Seagulls supporters. There are currently no seats at the west end.

"The issues are all about access, transport and so on," said Perry. "We have got to maintain our transportation strategy, so it includes probably finding another park and ride site.

"Whatever we do at Withdean will be a stop-gap measure and it shows how important it is for us to get to Falmer."