STEVE Foster has urged Albion fans to back Stephen Purdew's bid for control of the club.

The former Seagulls skipper insists there is no hidden agenda and he will invest some of his own money in his close friend's plans.

The Argus exclusively revealed on Friday that health farm tycoon Purdew has offered to pump millions of pounds into Albion in return for a controlling interest.

We also revealed that ex-England international Foster, who served the Seagulls for nine years, is the link man in the proposed deal.

Some supporters have reacted coolly to Purdew's interest, but Foster said: "I don't know what the supporters are worried about. Stephen has got the cash, he wants to invest it and the club should listen to him.

"It is the most positive thing that has happened to the club for many years.

"He supported Brighton when I was playing for them. He wants to take the club forward and he has the money.

"The supporters of the club have got to support this. It doesn't matter if it is a man from the moon if he has the money to get it back to where it was."

Foster claims Purdew has the finance and desire to deliver Albion's dreams but warns he will go elsewhere if chairman Dick Knight and the Board pass up the opportunity to work with him.

"I have known him for 16 years, which is a long time," said Foster. "Stephen is going to buy a football club and I thought it would be a good idea if it was Brighton.

"He has already looked at Luton and Portsmouth. If Brighton don't want him then he'll go somewhere else.

"If Brighton want a multi-million pound stadium and money for players to get back into the First Division they can have it, or they can prepare an infra structure to be like a Scunthorpe or Scarborough.

"Stephen is not like most football fans because he is also very wealthy. He bought Forest Mere and spent £14 million doing it up, then he bought a hotel in Switzerland and now he wants to buy a football club.

"I've never come forward before because he has never wanted to buy a club until now. Brighton is the best option because, despite the support, they are still in the lowest division and desperately need an injection of money.

"Look what Fayed has done at Fulham and what Jack Walker did for Blackburn. Stephen is ready to do something similar. There is no hidden agenda.

"I am willing to invest money as well and we are not saying all the other people have got to go.

"They can stay and be part of the dream of making Brighton big again."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.