Butters is back

The veteran centre half returns as captain at Ipswich tomorrow in the absence through injury of Adam Hinshelwood.

The shoulder problem which forced Hinshelwood off in the closing stages of last Saturday's 2-0 home defeat by Southampton has sidelined him from the must-win trip to Portman Road, although he could be fit for Monday's visit by relegation rivals Sheffield Wednesday.

Butters, 36, had played every minute of every match until he was relegated to the bench for Albion's 2-0 victory at Millwall at the start of the month.

He was a substitute again against Southampton, manager Mark McGhee keeping faith with a back four with an average age of just over 20.

"I think in hindsight we should have played Butts last week anyway," McGhee said. "He will be back and he'll play against Alan Lee (Ipswich centre forward).

"It was a massive call to leave him out but we made the right decision for the right reasons against Millwall and Butts accepted that and supported it.

"I don't know how he felt about not playing against Southampton, probably disappointed obviously, but we made that decision again with difficulty.

"As it turned out in the first half, when Rasiak gave us a lot of problems, we really could have done with Butts, so that was a bad decision.

"Now he is going to be back to do the job he has been doing. Butts is also just as likely as anyone to pop up and score a goal from free-kicks and corners."

McGhee has hinted at other changes as well, with the fit-again Alex Frutos and Kerry Mayo both in contention.

"Alex trained well yesterday," McGhee said. "He looked as if he was determined to be noticed. He gives us that left-sided pace and balance so he has got to come into consideration.

"Kerry played well in the Reserves the other night and definitely must be considered with his experience."

Seb Carole is included in the squad after being fined, along with Alexis Nicolas, for arriving late for the Reserves' 8-1 win at Crawley on Tuesday.

But Jake Robinson will play no further part in Albion's relegation battle.

The young striker is out for four to six weeks with damaged right ankle ligaments sustained in a tackle by Crawley defender Owen Botting.

McGhee believes ten or even nine more points will be enough for the Seagulls to stay up. "I don't think it will necessarily have to be four wins out of four," he said.

"I think three wins, if one of them was against Sheffield Wednesday, is likely to be enough. We might have to take a point from the other game.

"We know it's going to be difficult but we are not about to throw in the towel until it's mathematically impossible.

"We're still in it, that's the important thing, and we are playing against not the best Ipswich team of recent years.

"On any other day of the year we would be going there thinking if we came back with a point it's a good result.

"It won't be this time, no matter how well we play. We have to try to win this game."

Joe Gatting, a probable substitute tomorrow, has joined defender Joel Lynch in signing a three-year professional contract offered last month to the 18-year-old forward prospect.