Stafford Browne adores Albion - he supported them and played for them, but on Saturday he hopes to humiliate them.

Browne's presence at Aldershot is one of those twists of fate invariably thrown up by the FA Cup.

It was a dream come true when Brian Horton signed the Uckfield-born striker for the Seagulls two seasons ago.

"I supported them from as young as I could remember, so it was a big thing to play for my local side," Browne said.

"I lived in London for quite a long time so I wasn't a hard core fan, but I went to quite a few games."

Horton gave Browne a chance after he plundered 29 goals in 51 games for Hastings, but it didn't work out.

He was substituted on his League debut at Carlisle, taken off in another defeat at Exeter and was on the losing side again when he came on at Cardiff.

Browne was released at the end of his three-month contract.

"Obviously it was disappointing, but I am a great believer things happen for a reason," he said.

"I don't think I did myself justice and I wasn't really given an opportunity, but I am not one to look back and think what if?

"I have nothing but good memories of my time at Brighton. From a footballing point of view it could have gone better, but I met some nice people and the experience was invaluable."

Horton said: "He looked like he had an eye for goal, but he wasn't better than Harty (Gary Hart) or Richie Barker in the end.

"We were looking at a lot of players at that time, but he was a nice kid and he will get goals at non-League level."

Dean White, Albion's Reserve coach and chief scout, agrees. White was manager at Hastings when Browne joined the Seagulls and tried to re-sign him when he was released.

"He definitely wasn't the finished article, but he knows where the goal is and you can't coach that," said White. "He is a bit unorthodox, doing things you shouldn't do sometimes, and that makes him hard to plan for."

After Albion Browne played for Welling, Billericay and Yeovil while building up his business as a cast-iron radiator dealer.

Aldershot boss George Borg signed him on a two-year contract from Dagenham the day after the Shots knocked out Crawley in the second round.

A place on Saturday is not as cast-iron as those radiators he restores and sells, but Browne, 28, said: "It has gone well. We won 6-0 in my first game, lost the second and then I scored in the third in front of our home fans which was nice.

"I came on for ten minutes in the last round against Dover and immediately twisted my ankle. I've not played since, but I have been told if I come through this week I've got a chance of starting on Saturday."

He added: "It's set up for me scoring, but as long as we win that's the main thing.

"My friends understand the situation. This is the one time I can be allowed to beat the team I support."