While 'Henmania' gathers pace at Wimbledon and Euro 2004 moves towards its climax, preparations began in earnest yesterday for Albion's return to Division One.

The players do not return for pre-season training until Monday, but manager Mark McGhee was back behind his desk at the Falmer sports campus following a three-week holiday in the States.

The Seagulls' first fixture in the Coca-Cola Championship at Reading is 38 days away and there is work to be done to ensure promotion is not wasted.

Within half-an-hour of his arrival, McGhee, his backroom team gathered around him in his compact office, was tapping into his laptop for detailed information on potential signings.

"I was enjoying New York last week," he said. "I'd never been there and it was great, but that was the only thing stopping me from getting restless. I couldn't wait to get back.

"Bob (Booker) was on the phone last night and I think if I had said to him 'let's just go in now' he would have been in here.

"When I came in everybody was already here, all itching to get going, so you can tell there is an excitement about the place."

How different the mood might have been if Leon Knight had not converted that decisive late penalty in the final of the play-offs against Bristol City in Cardiff a month ago.

McGhee's subsequent break gave him a chance to digest the achievement, not just of his players but by himself and his staff.

"I sat back and thought we did well to get promoted. I'm talking about the group, Bob and Dean (White). We all worked really hard and I think we can be very satisfied and pleased with ourselves that we pulled it off.

"It wasn't pretty at times but it was effective. From a managerial and coaching point of view I feel satisfied I made the right decisions that got us the results in the only way we could get them.

"I am well pleased with the performance, all be it I would like us to look better. Hopefully in the future we will."

That will depend on the squad McGhee is able to assemble. Promotion is worth around an extra £400,000 in central revenue from the Football League, covering TV and sponsorship funds and gate levies, but the income limitations of Withdean mean Albion's playing budget is still bound to be one of the lowest.

McGhee's squad building has three stages. The first is finalising the futures of 11 players offered new contracts, ranging from three months to three years.

The list includes senior pros such as Charlie Oatway, Nathan Jones and Guy Butters, promising youngsters Dan Harding and Adam Virgo, and relative newcomers Chris Iwelumo and Paul Reid.

"I will resolve that as quickly as possible this week," McGhee said. "I never lost any sleep when I was away about those issues.

"I think we have offered people what is fair and what we can afford and they have to accept that. If they don't there's nothing we can do about it."

Stage two involves the group of players with another year left on their contracts, headed by Danny Cullip and Leon Knight but also including the likes of Ben Roberts, Gary Hart and Kerry Mayo.

Cullip and Knight are being offered extensions, others have more to prove.

"We have got to look at them individually," said McGhee. "Does it best suit us for these players to have a year or which of them do we feel confident enough in to be part of something for the next two or three years?

"I want to see the likes of Harty do it in the First Division. Mayo and Paul Watson haven't been in the team, so I am throwing the gauntlet down to them to get back in, then we will talk about new contracts.

"They are all under pressure in their own different ways, which is healthy for me."

Stage three is new signings. McGhee wants another centre half, striker, winger and left-footed central midfielder but, with finances so tight, he has to be prudent.

Quality, rather than quantity, is his aim. He is not interested in squad-fillers. Each new player will need to be good enough to command a regular first team place.

What of McGhee's own future? The deal he signed when he took charge last October has only a year left to run.

He has quickly fallen in love with the area and my guess is he would be prepared to commit for longer.

Bearing in mind all the managerial instability of Albion's recent past, perhaps there is a stage four for chairman Dick Knight to consider.