Albion midfielder Keith Andrews has issued a ‘help us’ plea to club bosses.

The January window slams shut at 11pm next Friday and the Seagulls have yet to sign replacements for Ashley Barnes, Adam El-Abd and Andrew Crofts.

Andrews told The Argus: “When you are travelling you spend a lot of time together, because it takes forever to get to any ground.

“They are three big, big characters we have lost from that dressing room and I don’t think people really appreciate the hole they have left.

“All of them have been here for a number of years and now the bus going up last week (to Derby) was a little bit quiet, because they are big characters.

 

“It’s vitally important that we try to replace that in some way. It doesn’t have to be like for like, because that would be very hard to achieve, but we certainly need to add some experience in there and some quality players, because the three of them are quality players.

“We’ve got a week and you would hope the club has got things in place. I know there was a player supposedly signing last weekend (Lewis Grabban) that didn’t pan out unfortunately for one reason or another but it’s vitally important.

“We’re finely poised, sitting seventh in the league, and it’s at this stage that you need that little impetus.

"You’ve seen it in previous years where a January signing has propelled teams on to automatic promotion or the play-offs. I would say that is the general consensus from the players - that we could do with a little bit of help."

Albion could be further hit in the final few days of trading, with unsettled midfielder Liam Bridcutt and winger Will Buckley both still being linked with moves to the Premier League.

Neither of them are likely to feature in today’s FA Cup fourth round tie at Port Vale.

Read Keith Andrews on his on-field 'baby-sitter' role - in The Argus today