Fan power persuaded Lee Steele to sign for Albion.

Steele was stunned by the support for the Seagulls at Gay Meadow last season against his old club Shrewsbury.

It played a major part in his decision to reject rival offers from Plymouth and Doncaster.

Albion only had pride to play for when they won 2-1 at relegation-haunted Shrewsbury in April.

Steele, who led the Shrews' attack, said: "This is a big club. Seeing how many supporters Brighton took to Gay Meadow last season swayed my decision a lot.

"They took about two and a half thousand fans, which shows the potential of the club."

Shrewsbury stayed up despite that defeat, but Steele decided it was time to move on after three seasons as their top scorer.

The 26-year-old Liverpudlian, signed on a free transfer under the Bosman ruling, is also looking forward to experiencing Albion's sell-out home support at Withdean.

"I asked a few people about the ground," he said.

"I didn't play there for Shrewsbury because I was injured, but everyone has told me there's a good atmosphere."

Meanwhile, manager Micky Adams has issued a pre-season challenge to rookie goalkeepers Michels Kuipers and Will Packham.

He wants the inexperienced pair to prove he does not need to sign a new No. 1.

The unexpected move of last season's first choice Mark Walton to Cardiff has disrupted Adams' thinking, but he has no immediate plans to draft in a replacement.

Instead Kuipers and Packham will be given an opportunity to show what they can do over the pre-season programme, which starts with a friendly at Worthing on Friday night and continues with a three-match tour of Southern Ireland next week.

"We have got two goalkeepers with a combined League experience of one game," said Adams. "But we are not going to panic too much about that.

"I am going to give the two boys a chance over pre-season. I may think about an experienced keeper on loan if I have to, but I am going to give Michels and Will the chance to impress me first."

Another rookie, Shaun Wilkinson, has become the first victim of pre-season training. Albion's teenage midfield prospect is on crutches after hurting a tendon in his left foot on a cross-country run.

Former Horsham YMCA hotshot Matt Russell is currently training with the Seagulls, but Adams says he is not interested in Steve Slade. He has dismissed a report linking Albion with the QPR reserve striker.

The club stages a presentation at the Metropole Hotel in Brighton today to unveil details of a new lottery.