Albion boss Micky Adams is backing Paul Rogers' bid to extend his career beyond his 37th birthday.

The Seagulls' skipper has expressed a desire to carry on playing for at least one more season. Adams seems likely to fulfill that wish by offering Rogers another contract when his current deal expires in the summer.

"If he says he can go on for another year I wouldn't disagree with that," Adams said. It might be different if he had been in the game since he was 16. He perhaps wouldn't want to go past 36 then, but he is a great professional.

"He looks after himself and eats and drinks all the right things. All I worry about sometimes is the amount of work he does."

Rogers was almost 27 when he became a professional with Sheffield United after a decade at non-League Sutton.

Adams made the Portsmouth-born veteran his first signing from Wigan on a Bosman free transfer two summers ago.

Rogers has been virtually an ever-present in the centre of midfield since then.

The golden oldie has scored 13 goals for the club, including the winner at Withdean last season against this Saturday's hosts Cheltenham.

"I'll be 36 in March, but I like to think I can play for at least another year," Rogers said. "Then I'll play non-League for as long as I can."

Meanwhile, Adams is focusing on Albion's own form rather than the faltering fortunes of their promotion rivals.

He said: "I don't worry about what other teams are doing. If we perform like we did against Cardiff last Saturday then there is no problem."