Albion goal ace Leon Knight has revealed how a tough upbringing in the east end of London has helped him become the Hackney hot-shot.

Knight was raised by his Jamaican mum Charmaine and dad Bertie, from St Lucia, in one of the capital's most notorious boroughs.

His experiences in his childhood have shaped the career of the brash little striker whose goals are spearheading the Seagulls' promotion push.

Knight was taught to look after himself from a very early age.

"I remember my mum taking me to karate when I was little," he revealed.

"It was to protect myself because I lived in a pretty rough area, not actually to go out fighting.

"I didn't want to do it at first, but she was looking out for me and then I enjoyed it so much I just kept doing it.

"I'm actually a third dan black belt in karate and martial arts. I stuck with it for about five years and I represented England."

Knight is only 5ft 4ins, but the former Chelsea player has never allowed his size to diminish his self-belief.

"I've always been small, but nothing bad has ever come of it," he said. "I was top dog in my school and I didn't get bullied once. I was the one probably doing the bullying.

"I have always had great belief in my own ability, even from primary school. You can ask anyone, I'm never negative.

"I think it's the area where I come from. People around there are very confident and flashy.

"Most of them do athletics. There are some great runners, so if they are going to do a robbery they do it to the best of their ability!"

Knight was educated at Raine's Foundation, an inner city mixed comprehensive in Bethnal Green. He readily admits he was not exactly a model pupil.

"I wasn't keen on school. I don't agree with my attitude towards it, but that was just the way I was.

"I just wanted to do other things, play football, meet girls and all that. I wasn't really interested in books.

"School was just getting in the way. When you wanted to play for the school team if you hadn't finished your homework you were excluded.

"I just found school irritating, but when you were out of the classes and in the corridors and playground it was quality."

Sean Reed, the Brighton-born head of P.E. at Raines Foundation, remembers Knight as a fine all-round sportsman.

He also offers a clue to the tremendous leaping power which has enabled Albion's mini-marksman to score a number of his 16 goals this season with his head.

"I taught Leon when he was in years seven, eight and nine," said Reed. "He was fine as a pupil to me, but he had no interest in school.

"He was generally a nice kid and a superb athlete. He was a brilliant high jumper when he was here and a good basketball player too.

"He always stood out as a footballer. When he left he left us with a Chelsea shirt which is still up in our office."

Knight played from the age of 11 to 14 for Senrab, the Sunday junior club which has been a production line for top players including his Albion predecessor Bobby Zamora.

His career started to take off when he was selected for the National School of Excellence at Lilleshall.

"I was away from home for two years and it was the best two years of my life," Knight said.

"We had a great laugh and a great team. We only lost three or four games and the experience was unbelievable.

"Everything was paid for us and done for us and we had girls falling at our feet.

"In our group there was Craig Pead from Coventry, Joe Cole from Chelsea and George Pilkington from Port Vale, Danny Webber from Watford and Jermain Defoe of West Ham."

Male company in the Knight household is restricted to his father, who runs a secondhand shop and has shares in a jewellery business in Hatton Garden.

"I'm the only boy in the family, so I've had special treatment from my mum, dad and three sisters," Knight admitted.

"My mum doesn't work. One of my sisters is into fashion and designing her own clothes, the other two are at college.

"My oldest sister, Carlene, takes an interest in my football career, but the other two don't. They will just phone me up and say 'can you send us some money'!

"I spend all my money on cars, clothes and jewellery. I've got a Range Rover on the way. I'm like a little kid, I like toys.

"When you come from where I've come from you don't have that sort of stuff.

"When you can afford to buy them you love it, you're like a little kid in a candy store. That is a good feeling."