Things are finally looking up for former Albion midfielder Paul Armstrong.

Armstrong is currently enjoying life with Scottish First Division leaders Airdrie.

It makes a pleasant change for the 22-year-old who swapped financial troubles on the South Coast for similar problems north of the border when he was released by Albion 16 months ago.

Although Albion's fortunes were on the up by the time Micky Adams decided the young Irishman did not figure in his long-term plans, it is fair to say Armstrong's five-year stay with the Seagulls was largely clouded by the club's off-the-field troubles.

It must have been a feeling of deja vu, then, when Airdrie were plunged into liquidation last season and became subject of a power struggle involving former Spurs, Barcelona and Scotland striker Steve Archibald.

Armstrong explained: "It was similar to the problems at Brighton. There was no money at the club and they went into liquidation.

"Steve Archibald came and went. Then a new consortium came in at the end of last season. They are still in liquidation but things are looking up."

After four games of the new season Airdrie are top of the table and through to a second successive Bell's Challenge Cup final where they will meet Alloa next month.

Airdrie won this competition last season with Armstrong in their side, beating Livingston 4-3 on penalties last November after a 2-2 draw.

However, that game offered no hints of what was to follow for either club. While Livingston were promoted to the Premier Division for the first time in their history, Airdrie were plunged into crisis and a relegation battle.

The saviour was Ian McCall, the former Rangers midfielder who took over as manager.

Armstrong said: "It was a struggle at the end of last season. When Steve Archibald left there were a lot of Spanish lads at the club and they all left too.

"When Ian McCall came in there was only one registered player at the club. He had to find a team over the weekend and he did it.

"He brought in some good players and has completely turned things around."

Armstrong has recently signed a contract to keep him at Airdrie for another two years. He is playing right wingback, which he enjoys, and is a full-time professional. Gone are the days of everything below the Premier Division in Scotland being semi-pro.

Albion fans will remember Armstrong's tenacity and, most notably, a 94th minute penalty winner in front of the Sky television cameras at Chester in Brian Horton's last game in charge of the club.

His arrival in Sussex offered a small piece of hope at a time when there was little else on the horizon at a club torn by off-field problems.

The teenager from Dublin, who went on to play for the Republic of Ireland under-21 side during his time with Albion, was made to feel at home at the club.

Armstrong said: "My first memories of the club were brilliant. When I first came over there was me and two other lads (Ross McNally and Eric Saul) who had played together since we were ten or eleven.

"We were three lads from Dublin and there were already two others at the club.

"Liam Brady was manager at the time and the youth team was very good."

Armstrong was at the club when they achieved League survival at Hereford but he did not make his debut until the start of the following season. Over the next three seasons he went on to make 53 appearances for the Seagulls, scoring two goals.

Ironically, those two goals came within nine days of each other and are well remembered by many Albion supporters.

The first came in January 1999 at Chester. Albion were on a good run under Horton but had found it difficult to break down a tough Chester side on their own patch. Then, as the game moved into stoppage time, Jamie Moralee went down and the Seagulls were awarded a penalty. The youthful Armstrong stepped forward.

He said: "Jeff Minton would have taken the penalty but he had gone off earlier in the game injured.

"It was the 94th minute, I think. We got a penalty and there wasn't anyone jumping up saying they would take it, so I took it and luckily it went in."

The following weekend, with Horton having suddenly departed for Port Vale, Armstrong scored the only goal of the game again, this time an 88th minute winner in a 1-0 triumph over Scarborough which marked Jeff Wood's first game in charge.

Adams became Albion's third manager of the campaign before the season was out and Armstrong's face did not really fit as the new boss embarked on a major overhaul of the squad. Injury problems did not help his cause and the Irishman was among a number of players released at the end of the 1999-2000 season.

Despite this, he has kept tabs on his former club. He said: "I have been watching them win on television. It was surprising to see them win virtually every week last year and it looks like they have started well again.

"I would be lying to say I was not jealous to see them doing so well. But I had five good years down there and I am pleased they are going well."

The future looks bright for Albion and the future also looks bright for Armstrong.

Although he admits the standard of the Scottish First Division is largely on a par with the English Third Division, he is all too aware of the rewards promotion could bring to a division featuring the likes of Glasgow giants Celtic and Rangers, Aberdeen, Dundee United and Motherwell.

"I have signed on here for another two years and hopefully we can keep the good start going," he said.

"Scottish football is strange as teams can quite easily take points off each other.

"The games I played for Albion were in the Third Division. There were a lot of big strong teams who were always up the top there.

"It seems to be played a bit more on the ground up here."

As for the prospect of promotion and playing against the likes of Celtic and Rangers, Armstrong added: "It would be fantastic. Even if you went up and came back down again the next season, it would be something you would never forget."

Armstrong's penalty at Chester is something a lot of Albion supporters will not forget and most will be pleased to see the Irishman smiling again.