Liam Rosenior says the pain of seeing his dad forced to retire early has driven him on to keep bouncing back - to the brink of the Premier League again with Albion.

The Seagulls defender was a little boy when father Leroy, a former team-mate at West Ham of Albion manager Chris Hughton, had to quit playing in his late twenties due to a knee injury.

Rosenior, 31, let go by Hull last summer, said: "Being in football, seeing my dad have to retire when I was very young - I was about five or six - it's hard to give up something you love.

"I love football. I'll always be involved in football. When I finish playing I want to coach, I want to manage, it's my love of the game.

"You can look down at things and say I've been released and that's bad news and be down in the dumps but at the end of the day my job is to play football. How lucky am I? How many people would love to be in this position?

"I try to come in every day and enjoy what I do and try to spread that within the group.

"Maybe I could have had a better career, had more games in the Premier League, but I can't complain. I've played 200 Premier League games."

Rosenior has already featured in the top flight for Fulham, Reading and Hull, where his reputation for resilience earned him a nickname.

"It's happened a few times to me," he said. "I've been kind of thrown away a few times, then I keep coming back.

"I'm like the film, The Mask. It used to be an in-joke at Hull, being called The Mask. I kept getting dropped, then would find myself back in the team.

"If you're in sport you have to have resilience and believe in yourself. When I was released by Hull I was upset, like anyone would be when they've lost their job, but the next thing is always the most important.

"Coming here is the best thing that could ever have happened to me. Hopefully I can repay the club by giving them success this year and for many years to come."

Rosenior could still have been in the Premier League this season but his move back down a rung to Albion on a free transfer could hardly have worked out any better.

He told The Argus: "I had a good feeling about coming here and I wanted to come somewhere where I felt I could make a big difference.

"Not being a bit-part player in the Premier League, playing 15 or 20 games, coming somewhere where I can hopefully affect the culture of the place, affect the younger players, be a part of the team on the pitch and off the pitch, help the coaching.

"When I spoke to everyone at Brighton here they said they were interested in that side of things as well. That helped me make the decision, that I could help the club achieve something really special."

Rosenior, on the right side of midfield initially and at left-back since recovering from his own knee injury, has played a special part in Albion's automatic promotion push.

There is a good chance Hughton's history hunters will not lose against Derby at the Amex today with Rosenior, forced off by a back spasm at Charlton nine days ago, in the team from the off. His 25 previous starts have resulted in 15 wins and ten draws.

"Don't say that now," he joked. "You can give me that stat at the end of the season, not now. But that's the great thing about being here. It's not about me or my stats or anyone else's stats. It's about the team stats. As long as we are in that top two at the end of the season."

If they are then Rosenior will be seeing and hearing more from his dad.

"He commentates on every Premier League game every Saturday, so he doesn't get to see many of my games but I speak to him, not too much about football.

"We have a normal father and son relationship. I know when he does give me advice - because he doesn't give it to me too often - it's worth listening to.

"One of the best bits of advice he gave me was to come here and try to make a difference. He knew the manager and trusted the manager and said what a good man he was and said to me would you rather go somewhere to make a difference than being a bit-part player?

"I'm delighted that it worked out this way."

Even more delighted if Albion chalk up a sixth straight win today, although Mrs Rosenior will be less impressed thanks to one of her husband's superstitions.

"I wear the same boxer shorts if we win," Rosenior confessed. "I shouldn't be saying that, my wife won't be happy. I clean them between games, can I just get that on the record!

"I tape my wrists, which is something my grandad always told me to do. That's a cultural thing, good luck. It's something I've done from a really young age and will do for the rest of my career.

"Apart from that, I try to stay away from superstitions. But I think there might be a few more coming over the next week. Everyone wants to do it (get promoted) so badly."