Jason Steele believes he has put his Sunderland nightmare behind him with Albion.

The keeper’s move to the Black Cats from Blackburn backfired last season as they were relegated for the second year in a row down to League One.

Steele makes his debut for the Seagulls in the FA Cup third round at Bournemouth tomorrow after David Button was preferred to deputise in the Premier League for Mathew Ryan, who is at the Asian Cup with Australia.

Steele said: “Maty’s been unbelievable over the past year-and-a-half, without doubt he’s the number one goalkeeper here.

"It was an opportunity for Butts and I to come here and develop again. Especially with my own circumstances, it was a chance to regain my confidence and belief in my ability again.

“I feel like I’ve done that and hopefully I can show that on Saturday.”

Former England under-21 Steele, 28, had to recover from injury soon after signing in the summer on a three-year deal.

He said: “I tore my thigh within a week of coming in — whenever you sign for a new club and something like that happens, especially the year I had before that, it was a case of here we go again.

“But I dusted myself down and tried my best to get fit and ready to get back to what I know I can be.

“I’ve got to use my experience, I’ve played an awful lot of football in my career. I’d like to think I wouldn’t be overawed by a situation.

"Looking at the past year, obviously people are going to be questioning and I understand that, but it’s up to me to deliver on the day, it’s as simple as that.”