Matthew Piper is buzzing with the feelgood factor gripping Albion after promotion.

It has given him extra motivation to realise his dream and follow father Steve into the first team.

The 15-year-old Lancing College pupil sharpens his skills with 146 other youngsters on the £200,000-a-season Centre of Excellence programme.

Matthew, who plays for Albion under-15s at centre-back, said: "The whole area has got promotion fever. It has certainly rubbed off on me, given me that extra lift to try and make the grade. If we can go up as champions it'll be even better.

"It is such a contrast to when I first came to the club when I was 11 years old. It was around the time the Goldstone was sold and the club nearly went out of the league.

"But everything's getting better all the time at the Centre of Excellence. It's brilliant. The coaching has always been excellent, but we've got new kit and train twice a week, instead of once, and win most of our games.

"The first team has done so well since coming back to Brighton from the Priestfield. I've watched them quite a lot, particularly Danny Cullip who has been a rock in my position, and they are so well organised and try to play good football.

"That's what the Centre of Excellence coaches teach us. I work hard to develop my defensive techniques and I try to play it out rather than lump it.

"It would be fantastic to follow my dad but I'm doing it for myself and things are going okay thanks to the set-up."

Steve, a defender and midfielder who played for Albion in the Seventies, said. "The Albion set-up is fantastic, there was nothing like it in my day. Martin Hinshelwood (Albion director of youth) and his helpers are doing a great job and have brought Matthew on. He loves it and wants to go on to be a pro with Albion.

"I am Matthew's worst critic and try to be laid back about his chances of making it, but in the last month or two he has started to look a player. He's growing physically, has time on the ball, never gives it away and passes well. The coaching he is getting is showing through, helping towards making the big step next season."

Chris May, 15, from Hove, is another player with a father who played for Albion. But unlike ex-defender Larry, he is a goalkeeper.

The Blatchington Mill pupil said: "The coaching is superb, but the coaches like us to have some fun. My goalkeeping coach John Keeley, for instance, works us hard but makes sure we have a laugh together."

School and teammate Chris Breach, who joins Piper, May, Mark Probert and Ben Watson in the South East England Schools squad at Keele in August, is convinced the set-up has improved in "leaps and bounds" since he first joined five years ago.

Across the age groups, from under-13s to under-16s, each coach bristles with pride with the progress his players have made this season despite the disruption to fixtures caused by bad weather.

Albion under-15s coach Les Rogers trains Piper, May and Breach and brought and helped develop Gareth Barry before he was sold to Aston Villa.

He said: "They are a good group with a first-class attitude. Like Gareth, they are all honest. Performances have been fine and when we haven't played we've been able to train more which has been beneficial.

"The boys are coping better physically this season. They've also done well when stepping up age groups which is something that's encouraged to help their development. That didn't used to happen when Gareth and Michael Standing were coming through.

"The incentives are there for them because several former Centre of Excellence players are in and around the first team."

Former Albion favourite Ian Chapman's is in charge of the under-13s.

He said: "We've got a squad of 18 and the quality is so good. They are comfortable on the ball with a spot on attitude and haven't been beaten this season. The parents never complain. Some have played up an age group like goalkeeper Richard Martin."

Gianni Vianchi has nurtured the youngest group playing matches at under-12s while John Byrne and Colin Smart have guided theunder-16s which, Five of that team will join Albion as scholars next season: Adam El-Abd, Matthew Geard, son of former Seagull Glen, Mark Windsor, Alex Bryant and Darren Budd. Bob Bantock prepares the nine to 11-year-olds for the rigours of competitive football.

Under-14s coach Russel Bromage said: "I've had an unbelievable season for injuries with Ryan McMillan breaking a leg, Clark Masters damaging a knee, Jay Mills cracking two discs in his back and breaking his hand and John Standing's broken his arm.

"But there's been progress and a lot of that is to do with the continuity we have at every level."

All the coaches teach good football, good habits on and off the pitch. Most wore the blue and white stripes themselves, including youth team manager Dean Wilkins.

The kids wear same Albion tracksuits and sweatshirts to make them feel part of the club. Visits from manager Micky Adams provoke the same emotion.

There is the pursuit of excellence, obviously, but the greater emphasis is on enjoyment.

Director of Youth Hinshelwood said : "If you enjoy what your doing you get more out of it. I think though we should consign the likes of Gareth and Michael to the past. Good luck to them but the focus should be to the seven (Danny Davis, Scott Ramsay, Duncan McArthur, Shaun Wilkinson, Chris McPhee, Dean Hammond and Adam Virgo) who have gone on to play for the first team.

"There's the proof that the set-up is working. We are here to serve the first team and the more we produce the better. There are plenty more coming through now I'm sure. We have quality in every age group.

"We are fortunate to have a sponsor (Chris Weatherstone Properties) to help us pay for the £200,000 it costs to run the set up each season.

"Promotion has made the whole club happy. Hopefully one day we'll get our own stadium and really take off."

Hinshelwood's helpers include Ron Kirkwood, John Lambert, Dave Sargeant, Dave Winterton, Ian Skelly and Sadler, besides those in charge of each age group.

But a major assistant is Vic Bragg who directs the Worthing base, while Lambert looks after Eastbourne centre.

The Langley Green teacher, who is assistant manager to the English Schools under-18s, said: "We are gaining a reputation for doing things the right way in a family atmosphere. Ninety per cent of the kids are from Sussex. We've got the same philosophy throughout the age groups: give them a good grounding by working together."

It seems things are coming together for the benefit of Albion's future.

Albion have appointed Alan Sanders, a teacher at Brighton, Hove and Sussex Sixth Form College, as education officer for their scholarship players.