Albion defender Ivar Ingimarsson is on a revenge mission at Reading tonight to make amends for the heartbreak of a promotion near miss.

The last time the Seagulls' loan signing from Wolves faced the Royals was for Steve Coppell's Brentford in the final match last season.

The Bees needed to win to pip Reading for the second automatic promotion place behind Albion, but a 1-1 draw at Griffin Park meant Reading went up to Division One instead.

Ingimarsson said: "It was terrible. Driving home after that game you realised just how close we were to going up and it really hits you then. It was a really poor few days after that.

"It maybe gives me a little extra motivation, but that was last season. We have six games left, plenty to play for and a good chance to stay up. Hopefully we can start a good run again now against Reading."

Coppell will be trying to get the better this time of his former Crystal Palace midfielder Alan Pardew in the tussle between fourth-bottom and fourth-top, which is being televised live on Sky.

The Albion boss has great respect for his Reading counterpart, touted by bookmakers as a top candidate for the Fulham job this summer.

"He is desperate to manage at the top level," Coppell said. "He would love to do it at Reading and if he doesn't then I've no doubt he will have an opportunity at some stage.

"He's working very hard. He's doing his UEFA pro license at the moment and I think he sees himself destined for a long managerial career."

Albion have failed to score in the last two matches between the teams, but they are boosted by the return from hamstring trouble of ace marksman Bobby Zamora.

Team-mate Ingimarsson regards him as "one of the best three strikers in this League."

Who plays alongside the Icelandic international in the centre of defence remains in some doubt.

Late decisions will be made on captain Danny Cullip (hamstring) and Dean Blackwell (ankle).

Ingimarsson's second month on loan from Wolves expires with Albion's next home game against Preston a week tomorrow. Coppell is optimistic of hanging onto him for the relegation run-in.

"I speak with Dave Jones fairly regularly and he has said to me he will call him back if he needs him.

"Certainly at the moment the way their staff is shaping up there is no immediate need for him to go back. Dave is very much appreciating the fact that he is getting first team football with us.

"If it's a play-off scenario for Wolves at the end of the season then it's of benefit to him to know he's got a player who can go back there and slot in if needs be."

Match preview at thisisthealbion.co.uk