Albion manager Mark McGhee today welcomed the £10 million takeover of Leeds United by Ken Bates as extra motivation for his own players.

The Seagulls will be the first visitors to Elland Road since controversial former Chelsea owner Bates seized control of the ailing giants.

McGhee has been in touch with his close friend Chris Turner, the former Sheffield Wednesday manager, to gauge the mood in Yorkshire ahead of Albion's rearranged visit on Saturday.

"I spoke to Chris and he was saying it seems all positive up there, so I think Elland Road will be charged with anticipation that it could be the start of a new era.

"That is good for us though, I really don't mind that. We are good at spoiling parties."

If Albion extend their unbeaten run in the Championship to seven games it will guarantee McGhee the manager of the month award, but he is more concerned about the impact that could have on the rest of the season than personal gain.

"It's a watershed match for us in a sense," he said. "We are not really talking about play-offs, we are not being stupid enough to get carried away, but were we to win on Saturday we can then start looking at who we can catch.

"If we don't win it's not the end of the world. If we take five points from the next five games, against Leeds, Derby, Cardiff, Sunderland and Millwall, that won't be a disaster.

"If we go into March with 42 points we will then need nine or maybe even eight points from 11 games."