MATT Upson says dropping out of the Premier League to join Albion has rejuvenated his career.

Upson celebrated getting married yesterday with the only goal at Middlesbrough to lift the Seagulls to eighth in the Championship, their highest position of the season.

A head wound suffered by the 34-year-old former England centre-half spoilt his wedding photos but Upson is a picture of contentment with Albion after signing on loan from Stoke in January and then permanently in the summer.

He told The Argus: “I’ve got to a stage where I need to enjoy what I do. I wasn’t playing and there were times at Stoke when I wasn’t getting the level of enjoyment that I should have out of my football at that stage of my career.

“I have come here and it’s been a breath of fresh air for me. I’m really enjoying it. Football is about what you are doing in the here and now. You can’t live on past achievements or form. There wasn’t an appetite from a Premier League club to want to take me and play me in the team.

“I was more than happy to come to Brighton, which has the structure of a Premier League club but finds itself in the Championship. It’s striving to be a Premier League club and that’s important to me.”

Upson’s downward header from Craig Conway’s corner four minutes from time, his second goal in three games on his 40th straight League appearance, exposed Boro’s vulnerability defending set pieces.

“Yes, that got mentioned,” Upson said. “They were quite a big threat themselves from set plays. (Daniel) Ayala attacked the ball really well and was a handful but we hit the post in the first half (Ashley Barnes) and probably should have scored.”

Albion, two points outside the play-offs, have now lost only once in nine outings ahead of mid-table Huddersfield’s visit on Saturday.