Albion defender Aaron Hughes says there is no pressure on him to perform as well as Matt Upson.

Former England centre-half Upson is preparing for his return to the Premier League with promoted Leicester after winning Albion’s player of the season award.

Fellow veteran and top-flight regular Hughes signed as Upson’s replacement this summer, told The Argus: “From what I hear he had a fantastic season last season, which is obviously why he has been picked up to go and play in the Premier League.

“To follow a player like that and do as well as he did last year would be fantastic but I don’t feel any sort of pressure to fill anyone’s shoes.

“I am my own player and my own person and I’ll do as well as I can in my way.

“I just want to be part of something that I think can go on to bigger and better things. Everything around this place is set up and geared towards pushing forward and being after that big carrot of the Premier League.”

Hughes, 34, played more than 450 games in the Premier League for Newcastle, Aston Villa and Fulham before signing for Sami Hyypia’s Seagulls following a short stint at QPR.

The Northern Ireland international said: “In terms of the set-up here it’s as good as I’ve been to. The new training ground is probably as good as I have been to as well, definitely up there.

“On the playing side the manager does things and wants things in training every day which are all geared towards quality.”