Albion manager Mark McGhee appealed today for calm heads and continued support in the battle to beat the drop.

He insists the players' belief has not been eroded by Saturday's 2-1 setback at rock-bottom Crewe.

And he is urging fans to maintain their "magnificent" backing for the team at the Alexandra Stadium.

The Seagulls remain five points adrift of Championship safety with ten games to go.

They visit mid-table Plymouth on Saturday, when fellow strugglers Sheffield Wednesday travel to play-off chasing Cardiff and Millwall host tenth-placed Luton.

Crewe, three points adrift of Albion with a game in hand but a far inferior goal difference, are at next-to-top Sheffield United on Friday night.

"Everybody has got to keep their heads," McGhee said. "We are still in the shake-up, still in with a helluva chance.

"It's still in our hands really, because we play Sheffield Wednesday and Millwall.

"We've obviously got to improve on our second-half performance on Saturday but the boys are fine and that is not rhetoric.

"I've kept saying this, we have become experts at managing disappointment, and they are still up for it.

"They know the circumstances. They don't want to be playing at League One grounds, they know a lot of them are out of contract and there will be an effect on the level of contract they get or getting one at all if we go down, so the stakes are huge for everyone.

"The boys are aware of that, so they are not about to chuck it in, they are not about to accept it.

"The fans on Saturday away from home were magnificent. We need that again at Plymouth and at Withdean against Preston in the next match, regardless of what happens on Saturday.

"There is a lot to happen as far as I am concerned before it is all decided. It's just important that we keep believing, that we keep working and keep going."

Paul McShane and Gary Hart are both banned for Plymouth and Paul Reid is already a doubt due to illness.