Gary Dicker has refused to rule out a permanent move to Albion, even if they are relegated.

The Irish midfielder, manager Russell Slade’s first signing, is on loan to the Seagulls from Stockport for the rest of the season.

County are in financial turmoil and Dicker has hinted at a desire to stay on the south coast ahead of today’s crucial clash at home to Oldham.

He said: “I’ve got another year at Stockport but there is a lot going on there. I don’t think anyone really knows what is going to happen next year.

“I am just concentrating on doing well here and we will see what happens in the summer.

“The club has great ambition and I think if they do go down they will bounce straight back up with the players that are here but I don’t really want to think about that.

“If we win today I think we have got a hell of a chance of staying up.”

Dicker has already tasted victory against Oldham with Stockport earlier this season.

“We won 3-1 and I was named man of the match for that game, so hopefully it will happen again,” he said.

“They’ve had indifferent results in the last few weeks and have dropped down a bit but they are a good side.

“They have lost (Lee) Hughes up front, which is a major plus for us, because he has been on fire for them.

“We can definitely get at them and score. We are not struggling scoring wise, we just need to be a bit tighter at home and not give teams easy chances like we did against Swindon.”

Dicker volleyed a late consolation in the 3-2 defeat by Swindon at Withdean last Saturday before helping keep Albion’s survival hopes alive in Monday’s 1-0 win at Colchester.

“Everyone worked hard, from the two lads up at top right back,” he said. “That’s what has probably been missing for the last few weeks – everyone just pulled together and put in a shift and we got the result.

“The lads just want to forget about that Swindon game and I think it showed at Colchester. We got our heads screwed back on.

“My form has been allright. We are scrapping, so I don’t think I have done as well as I can. It’s not going to be pretty football, which is understandable in our situation.

“I can do a lot better. You have always got a point to prove and to impress, so if I can help Brighton stay up it will be great for me and the club.”

Slade also tried to sign Dicker when he was in charge of Yeovil but the move fell through.

Assistant manager Dean White said: “Gary has come in at a difficult time for the club. There has been a lot of pressure on us as a team and on him as well, as a new player.

“He is getting better and better every game. He is one of those players that goes quietly about his business and the type of player you miss when he is not there. He is an important part of the team now.”