Jonny Dixon has probably come up with a first for Albion players already.

The midweek signing from Aldershot enjoyed a first workout with his new squad on a wet and wild day in Falmer, then praised the quality of the training facilities. You do not hear that too often.

Whether he still feels that way after turning an ankle in training on Friday is unclear.

But his first-day comment underlined how delighted the 24-year-old is to be back in League football, having slipped into non-league after a stint with Wycombe.

Dixon admits he might have to wait a bit for a chance to shine in League One but he did not mind telling colleagues, including fellow new arrival Steven Thomson, how pleased he was to be here.

Dixon reflected on that first session and said: "Training was good. It was a bit cold and wet but there's nothing you can do about that.

"It's nice to be on a good surface and the lads are great.

"I was saying to Thomo to me that's a flat pitch' whereas to him it's not.

"We train at the Military Ground which the Olympic Committee have chosen to be a training facility. I think they are going to do it up a bit but it's not as good as it is here."

Dixon was born in Murcia and grew up speaking Spanish before his family moved to England in 1990.

Course But he is very much an English speaker now and admits he is taking a refresher course to get his Spanish back up to its former standard.

His background has an international flavour to it too.

He said: "My parents were working in Spain when I was born. My dad is the pastor of a church so he was over there for that. Spanish was my first language but I learnt English better when I came here.

"My parents speak in English or Spanish, they are fluent in both. In fact my mum, who is Chinese-Malaysian, speaks five languages.

"Now they live in Australia so I went to Hong Kong and Beijing to meet them last year. They met in England but my mum was living in Zimbabwe when they got engaged so it's quite international."

So would he fancy going back to live and play football in Spain?

"Live? I wouldn't mind. Play? Probably not, to be honest.

"I really like the English game but I wouldn't mind if the Spanish weather came over here."

Crawley fans with good memories might recall Dixon's previous stint in Sussex, when Wycombe boss Tony Adams loaned him out to Broadfield in the Southern League title campaign.

Dixon, whose early team-mates at Wycombe included Albion old boy Paul McCarthy and future Seagull Darren Currie, was a winger then and admits he could still fill that role if needed.

He said: "I went to Crawley with a lad called Gavin Holligan in January or February for about a month. I was a right winger at the time.

"It was my first experience of leaving Wycombe. I had been with them since I was about 13 years old.

"I've played right wing quite a few times. I remember playing against Aston Villa once in the League Cup and I got man-of-the-match in that game.

"I can play on the wing if needed but I prefer to play up front because I like scoring goals. I believe that is my forte.

"But if I get in the team as winger, so be it. Pitch time is what it's all about.

"I'm not going to expect to start any time soon but I'll work hard and when my opportunity arrives I'll try to take it."

Should Jonny Dixon be considered as a wide man for Albion?