Guy Butters can think of worse ways of spending his 35th birthday than adding to the list of great grounds he has played at.

The veteran defender will be right at the heart of Albion's effort to get a result at Sunderland tomorrow.

Butters had plenty of battles against the Black Cats at Roker Park, but he has never been to the 48,000 capacity Stadium of Light.

"It will be another one I can say I played at when I am older," he said.

"I played at Roker Park. That was a big, intimidating place to go to with a full house and the Roker Roar'.

"I assume that has been transferred over to the new stadium and if they really start picking up it is going to get louder, but it will be really nice to notch another ground, and Derby as well next week.

"The only big ground I haven't played at is Liverpool. We played them at home when I was at Tottenham, but we had already been to Anfield by the time I got into the team.

"Sunderland have come down from the Premiership a couple of years ago and you always look out at the start of the season for when you are going to be playing the big clubs.

"You know at Wigan there is only going to be an 8,000 crowd, even though they are top of the League.

"Places like Leeds, Sunderland, Derby and Nottingham Forest are clubs with great tradition and history."

The milestones are coming thick and fast for Butters. He made the 500th start of his career on his comeback from calf trouble in the 1-1 home draw against Cardiff last week.

He did not look like reaching that landmark with Albion under Steve Coppell, when he was out of favour and loaned out to Barnet, but Butters is enjoying a new lease of life with Mark McGhee and the young team he is building.

Against Leeds last Saturday he was very much the elder statesman of the defence alongside a trio of 20-year-olds, Adam El-Abd, Adam Hinshelwood and Dan Harding.

"It's strange," Butters said. "A couple of years ago the majority of players in the team were in the reserves. We were all playing at Worthing on a Wednesday night.

"A lot of it is down to giving the young lads a chance. The gaffer has been willing to give everyone a chance and, if they get in the team and prove they can do it, he is not afraid to keep them in there. Look at Dan Harding now and Hinsh in the England under- 21's They have done really well.

"Ever since I arrived at the club I have been really impressed with the way the youth system has been run by Martin Hinshelwood and Dean Wilkins.

"I was talking the other day to somebody from Portsmouth and he said no matter who comes through there they don't get into the first team. Here the manager knows he has limited resources and has got to make do with what he has got, so the more players he can get coming through the youth ranks the better."

Butters was pleased to have Hinshelwood, his room-mate for away trips and travelling companion into training, as his partner against Cardiff and Leeds as he felt his way back from a six-match absence.

"Hinsh has done very well," said the former Portsmouth and Gillingham servant.

"At my age the old legs are starting to tire a little bit, so it is always handy to have someone alongside you who is young, not so much to do your running but to sweep up if things get past you."

Not much has been getting past Michel Kuipers and his defenders, even in the absence of first Butters and more recently captain Danny Cullip.

Albion have a more miserly goals against record than sides above them such as Derby, Plymouth, Queens Park Rangers and even third-placed Ipswich.

Almost half of the 19 goals they have let in were conceded in the first four matches.

Butters said: "I mentioned to Charlie Oatway this week that the teams in the division this time round are not any worse than when we were relegated two years ago. Maybe we are fitter and stronger.

"We went into last Saturday's game against Leeds thinking we could beat them, where as before we would have thought a draw was a good result.

"Now we are going up to Sunderland thinking we can beat them. That is the sort of confidence we have got at the moment. People are coming in and doing really well, no matter who is injured."

Butters is doing really well too. Out-of-contract next summer together with 13 of his Albion colleagues, he still wants to be playing League football when he is 36.

"I think I could go on for another year," he said. "I would be delighted if I could get another contract, but I know the manager is trying to get a lot of younger players through and build for the future.

"If I don't then hopefully there will be somewhere else for me to go to. I still want to carry on playing for as long as I can."