Adam El-Abd has apologised for biting back at the Withdean whingers.

Albion's no-nonsense defender has expressed his remorse and regret after reacting to fans who booed the team off following last Saturday's 1-0 home defeat by Bradford City.

El-Abd and his colleagues came under fire from season ticket holders in the South Stand at the final whistle.

Supporters say he responded by gesticulating and swearing back at them.

El-Abd confessed: "I regret and apologise for what I did but the fans have got to understand we are all passionate about what we are doing and it is not a nice feeling getting booed off.

"I'm frustrated, along with the fans. I want to win every game. We are not quite there at the moment but I really feel as if we are not far away.

"Having said that, I shouldn't have reacted the way I did. The fans who come and watch know I am a player who gives 100 per cent and wears his heart on his sleeve.

"But my anger was vented in the wrong way, which I regret and apologise again for."

El-Abd is less understanding about the abuse directed at Jake Robinson, Dean Cox and, he claims, Tommy Fraser during the warm-up.

"At the beginning of the game two fans gave Jake, Coxy and Fraser stick which is completely uncalled for," he said.

"They are young lads learning their trade and we need fans giving them confidence and building them up.

"When they are knocking their confidence 20 minutes before the game it doesn't do them or the team any favours.

"We are all Brighton and Hove Albion and we all need to be pushing in the same direction.

"The booing in games, the heckling before the games, doesn't help the lads. We are a young squad, we are all learning together and this season is a building block for next season."

El-Abd believes it is no coincidence that Albion's form away from home - where fans are far more supportive - is much better than it has been at Withdean.

"I wouldn't say the lads are going into games nervous at Withdean but when you go away from home and, for example, you jog out for the warm-up, the fans give you a standing ovation and it gives you a buzz, gets you up for the game.

"When you run out at Withdean there is no one there, one man and his dog giving you a clap but everyone else standing there watching you.

"The fans have got a job to do. They have got to be up for the game just as well as we have.

"They have got a part to play. They have got to be a 12th man for us. When the fans are booing you they are doing the opposition a favour and it is not conducive to good performances."

Some of Albion's youngsters were affected deeply by the abuse they were subjected to against Bradford and manager Dean Wilkins has revealed they were still hurting 48 hours later.

"Saturday was tinged with an awful lot of regret from all angles and it made things very difficult over the Sunday and Monday but we have recovered from that now," he said.

"Adam regrets his actions, regrets what he said. It's a reality in sport generally, unfortunately, and our young players who are not used to it are going to have to learn from it and be very professional, as difficult as it is when things like that occur.

"We have a responsibility to perform and I can fully understand the frustrations at times because the results at home have been poor.

"The performances up to a point were good but we weren't getting the wins we wanted. Now, all of a sudden, we are not being as creative either.

"I can assure everyone that everybody is working hard at the club to try to provide the sort of entertainment that we all want to see and be a part of.

"If we had an older squad, a more mature player is more willing to let things go in one ear and out the other.

"This is the first experience our young players have had of this type of thing happening, so it is difficult for them but they are professional footballers and they have a responsibility to go out and perform.

"It can affect confidence and that can be a problem. We are not being as creative as we were earlier in the season and Dean (Cox) is a creative type of player. If his confidence is affected then it causes everybody a problem.

"I got stick a couple of times before a game but I was probably 25 or 26 at the time and I was mature enough to deal with that.

"When it is your first experience of it, as it has been for a couple of the younger players, then it becomes difficult, but they will become better and stronger people for it."

El-Abd is relishing the respite from Albion's Withdean woes in Wales tomorrow, as the Seagulls try to put a dent in Swansea's play-off challenge at the Liberty Stadium.

He said: "It's a lovely stadium and one all the boys want to play in. Swansea are a big side, tipped for the title at the beginning of the season.