Richie Towell has shrugged off a tough-to-stomach first year with Albion as a great learning curve.

The Irishman makes only his fourth appearance for the Seagulls, three of them in the FA Cup, in today’s fourth round tie at Lincoln City.

Competition for places and a summer knee injury have limited Towell’s chances and it could be his farewell appearance this season as Albion consider the possibility of a loan exit for the former Dundalk midfielder, or Rohan Ince, before Tuesday night’s deadline.

The Argus:

Richie Towell made his Albion debut at Hull in the FA Cup last season

Towell said: “I am guided by the gaffer and I’ve been speaking to him over the past few days. He does rate me and told me that.

“He told me that I just need to keep working hard, which is what I’m going to do, and hopefully I can force my way into the team. There’s no better opportunity to do that than against Lincoln. I just need to show what I can do.

“It hasn’t gone to plan. Getting injured didn’t help and I haven’t played as many games as I would have liked but that’s football. Sometimes things like this happen in life for a reason and it’s made me a bigger and stronger person for it.

“I’ve learned a lot since I’ve worked with Chris and with the other coaching staff too. Playing with players like Steve Sidwell, who’s played for Chelsea in the Premier League, and learning off players like that, it can only do good things for your career.”

A much-changed Albion are likely to be led by Sidwell in their bid to reach the fifth round for the fourth time in seven years.