Albion have made a renewed bid to sign Gillingham centre half Guy Butters.

Manager Martin Hinshelwood was meeting the 31-year-old stopper today with a view to clinching his move from the Priestfield Stadium on a free transfer.

The Argus revealed that Butters turned down the chance to join the Seagulls before the start of the season, because he could not agree personal terms.

He has only been on the bench for Gillingham so far and was pulled out of a reserve game at Bristol City yesterday after Albion had re-confirmed their interest.

If the deal is completed, then Butters will go straight into the side against his old club Portsmouth in Saturday's south Coast Derby at Fratton Park.

Hillingdon-born Butters kicked-off his career at Spurs. He made 35 League appearances in two seasons with the North London giants before joining Portsmouth in 1990 for £375,000.

Butters served the Seagulls' south coast rivals in the First Division for six years, moving to Gillingham for £225,000 in October 1996.

He broke a leg in March 1998 but was a mainstay of the defence for former Albion boss Peter Taylor in the Gills' team promoted to Division One via the play-offs in 1999-2000.

Featuring less at the Priestfield Stadium once Taylor left for Leicester, Butters still made 21 appearances in the First Division last season after scoring and picking up an injury against Wimbledon early on.

The 6ft 3ins and 13st 12lbs stopper also had stints on loan at Southend and Oxford and won three England under 21 caps.