Derby fever

The vast majority of the side playing at Selhurst Park tonight are not from Sussex and have never been involved in a match between the Seagulls and Eagles.

But if they want a better idea of just how much local rivalry means they only have to bend the ear of Kerry Mayo.

The long-serving defender has experienced the passion associated with a clash between the two traditional enemies, both as a fan and player.

Mayo's first uncomfortable taste of derby fever came as a schoolboy in the days when Albion were still at the Goldstone and he used to travel by bus and train from his home in Peacehaven to watch from the north stand.

"I was 14 or 15 years old and going to Hove Station after the game with my mate," Mayo said. "It was just full of Palace fans.

"We were the only Brighton fans. We had to zip our coats up, not show our shirts.

"It was frightening really, scary stuff. I remember then getting off the train at Brighton station, walking down towards the seafront to get the bus home and as we turned the corner, walking fast to put it mildly, all we saw was a sea of blue and white Brighton fans.

"They had bins, bats and bottles. The next thing we knew there was a big riot. It wasn't a pretty sight and we got out of it pretty sharpish.

"That was my first encounter and that is when I first realised what it means, the rivalry between the two clubs."

A few years later Mayo was directly involved in the heat of battle on the pitch.

He was in the side for Albion's last visit to Selhurst, a 5-0 annihilation three seasons ago and humiliation for Palace idol Steve Coppell in his first away match as the Seagulls' manager.

"Bozzy (Paul Brooker) made his first tackle ever and got sent-off," Mayo recalled. "We were under the cosh then and it wasn't a good day, for us as players or the supporters. We want to rectify that.

"When they came down to us it was a 0-0 draw but we absolutely battered them. We had chances galore and should have won that 4-0 or 5-0 ourselves.

"This is a chance now to make a name for ourselves against Palace. It would be fantastic to get three points, not just for the team but for the fan base as well.

"It's one of those games where you would bleed for the team, put your head in where it hurts.

"Palace means so much more to the supporters. It's a definite grudge match, for me as a supporter as well as a player.

"I understand the reasons for it but I am a professional and I have got to be professionally minded if I am selected to play."

Mayo will probably have to settle for a watching brief after being axed from the squad for Saturday's 2-1 home defeat by Cardiff, which dropped Albion to the foot of the Championship table.

Spurs supporter Gary Hart, restored to the starting line-up at rightback against the Welshmen, said: "If you look in a positive way three wins take you up to sixth, so it is close, but obviously we don't want to be there and we don't want to stay there.

"Everybody knows about the rivalry between the fans but we want to win every game, it doesn't matter whether it is Palace or Tottenham.

"We've got to go up there, play a little bit of football and show them what we can do, because we can do it. We are leaking a few goals at the moment and not scoring enough but, hopefully, that will come good.

"We are playing quite well away. I was out for the Leicester and Burnley games and the lads did well in them.

"Hopefully, having a break from Withdean, we can go to a nice ground and win."

Paul McShane is walking a disciplinary tightrope tonight. The on-loan Manchester United centre half will be banned from next Monday's trip to fellow strugglers Sheffield Wednesday if he is booked again.

McShane collected an unfortunate fourth yellow card of the season against Cardiff for a clash with Michael Ricketts in which he seemed to be the innocent party.

We already know it will be all white on the night in one respect for Albion. They are playing in a specially produced white strip to avoid a colour clash with Palace.