Albion boss Peter Taylor is hoping to keep hold of Bobby Zamora for at least one more season if the Seagulls win promotion.

Taylor believes the prospect of First Division football could persuade his 28-goal star to stay.

Spurs manager Glenn Hoddle watched Zamora in Saturday's goalless draw at leaders Reading.

The ex-England coach has sent Colin Calderwood, a member of the backroom staff at White Hart Lane, to Withdean this season to keep tabs on Albion's £4 million rated hotshot.

Hoddle is keen to add fresh legs to an ageing strike force spearheaded by Teddy Sheringham and Les Ferdinand, but Taylor has dismissed recurring reports that his close friend and former Tottenham team-mate has first refusal on Zamora.

"Glenn lives two seconds from Reading and I actually said to my assistant Bob Booker it would not surprise me if I saw him and John Gorman there," Taylor said.

"They were not playing Chelsea in the FA Cup until Sunday and it was a very good game to see.

"I am sure Glenn is checking Bobby to see if he is going to be good enough, but nobody has got any agreement with us about first refusal or anything like that.

"All I have said is that if a massive offer came in the summer and he wanted to go we would have to think about that.

"I am hopeful that we could be in Division One and he might see Division One as the next 12 months of his career."

Zamora suffered a calf injury in the second half at Reading. He was able to train yesterday and bids to extend a run of 11 goals in 11 home appearances since Taylor took charge against fourth-bottom Northampton at Withdean tonight.

Victory for the second-placed Seagulls will close the gap on Reading to two points from the same number of games.

Ten-man Northampton were thumped 5-1 at Bournemouth on Saturday, but Taylor warned: "The danger is expectancy and thinking they are going to roll over very easily.

"I have played in teams that have been given a hammering, but then you bounce back. That is the test for us, to make sure we don't allow them to bounce back."

For a full preview of tonight's game visit thisisthealbion.co.uk