Alan Blayney today prepared to return to first team action with a good luck wish from his former rival.

Blayney is set to take over in goal for Albion at Stoke City on Saturday after Wayne Henderson's loan spell from Aston Villa expired.

It will be Blayney's first Championship action since the 2-2 draw with Coventry on September 17 but he insisted he had no problem about being kept out by his fellow Irishman.

Blayney, on loan from Southampton, said: "Wayne kept me out of the side but he was fantastic.

"He did really well on Tuesday as well and he will be a hard act to follow.

"We get on well, what with him being Irish like me.

"He wished me good luck before he left. That's all you can say. I've got his number and we are going to keep in touch."

Plans to give Blayney a run-out for the Reserves ahead of his return were washed out last night when the Senior Cup tie at Ringmer was postponed.

Albion have never won at the Britannia Stadium and their last away victory over Stoke dates back to the 1961-62 season.

Seagulls manager Mark McGhee has admitted the prospect of the trip to an unhappy hunting ground has got the alarm bells ringing.

Albion are under pressure to keep picking up away points while they struggle for home wins.

The Seagulls' midweek draw with Wolves means they have just one home success this season against only one away League defeat.

McGhee said: "Our away record is great but I've got alarm bells ringing in my head about this sort of game between two teams like ourselves in our position in the League.

"It's a very very dangerous game for us and we will have to be right at it on Saturday."

McGhee, though, insists he has no immediate alarms about the absence through suspension of defender Paul McShane.

The Seagulls have been told McShane's one-game ban will cover the derby with Crystal Palace rather than Saturday's trip.

That gives the Albion boss more time to devise another defensive plan and he said: "Paul was going to get a (fifth) booking eventually.

"He wasn't going to go until Christmas without getting one."