When someone shoots at goalie Michel Kuipers it is just a football - and ducking is definitely not allowed.

But the Brighton and Hove Albion keeper was once trained to face bullets and defend against an opposition far more fearsome than relegation-threatened Notts County, who visit Withdean Stadium on Saturday.

Professional footballers are sometimes seen as a pampered bunch but Kuipers has roughed it with the best of them.

The real-life action man spent four years in the Dutch equivalent of the SAS.

Kuipers, 27, learnt to shoot, survive in all climates and even jumped out of a plane or two.

He said: "If you go for national service normally, you just become a driver or something.

"I wanted to spend my time usefully and do something a bit more interesting.

"They said I could go on a six-month training course to become a marine."

Kuipers passed with flying colours and, at the age of 20, joined the elite Royal Netherlands Marine Corps.

The force undertakes counter-terrorist operations to deal with hostages and hijacks.

Michel said: "I can't go too deeply into what I did but I enjoyed every single day I had. There were so many exciting times.

"You're training in warfare in all different environments including the desert, jungle, mountain and arctic. You're getting dropped out of planes and you do so many different things."

The tall Dutchman has become a firm favourite with Seagulls fans since joining the team two years ago.

Even given the colourful nature of most football chants, he has gained one of the most unusual anthems.

Five thousand Albion fans singing "Michel Kuipers Royal Dutch Marine" to the tune of The Beatles' Yellow Submarine is an arresting sight.

For Kuipers, playing for the club is the culmination of a dream.

He came out of the forces early after being offered the chance to play professionally in Britain.

He said: "Normally you can't just leave but, for four-and-a-half years, I gave everything I had.

"I had a good career and everybody was pleased with how I performed for them. When an opportunity came up to play professional football in England, they gave me the opportunity to take it.

"I managed to achieve almost everything you could at my rank so it's nice when you change career and see you can be successful in something else."

There are certain similarities between the Army and football - discipline and team spirit being the most obvious.

He said: "You can't really compare it with football but what is the same is the physical and mental fitness.

"That is what I use these days in football. I just like to be very disciplined and work hard and keep trying to improve all the time.

"That has come from my time in the special forces where they push you to the limit."

Kuipers, from Amsterdam, never fired a shot in anger himself during his time with the elite 3,000-strong force.

He said: "I would never shoot my gun anyway."

But he is not a pacifist, as the Albion's rival teams will confirm. He said: "I just believe in what's right."

Now living just outside the city, he is a firm favourite at Withdean and has a bright future.

Kuipers said: "It's different playing football but, every time I run on to the pitch in the Albion shirt, I'm very proud to wear it.

"It gives me the determination to play the game and try to win it."