Gavin Hoyte has no regrets about missing out on another Carling Cup run with Arsenal’s young guns.

The on-loan right-back is just happy to be gaining more experience in his first taste of League One football with Albion.

Hoyte made his senior debut for Arsenal in a 6-0 destruction of Sheffield United in the Carling Cup at the Emirates Stadium last season, 24 hours before the Seagulls eliminated Manchester City.

The 19-year-old was accompanied in the Arsenal side that evening by several more of the young prospects fielded by Arsene Wenger in Wednesday’s entertaining victory over Liverpool in the last 16.

Hoyte went on to help the Gunners beat Wigan in the same stage of last season’s competition before he was part of the team knocked out at Burnley in the quarter-finals.

As much as he enjoyed the performance of his fellow fledglings against Liverpool, he was not longing to be there with them.

“I thought the boys were brilliant,” Hoyte said. “I was very happy for Craig Eastmond, the central midfielder. He is very hard-working.

“But I’m glad that I am here playing regularly. I think that is much more important than maybe one game, even though it was Liverpool at the Emirates.

“Here has been much better experience for me. We have let in a few goals but I have become more confident on the ball going forward and trying to get a few more crosses in. I think that will come with more games.”

It would not have been a surprise at this stage of his sporting career if Hoyte had been preparing for the London Olympics rather than a home match against Hartlepool.

Mum Wendy competed for Great Britain in both the 1976 Games in Montreal and in Moscow four years later. She still holds the British indoor 50 metres record.

Dad Les is also an ex-British sprinter and uncle Trevor a 200 metres finalist at the 1978 Commonwealth Games.

“In the summer we used to go down to the track with my dad to keep fit,” said Hoyte. “I ran for Essex in the English Schools but I had to choose between athletics and football and I’ve always preferred football.

“I could run 10.2 seconds in the 100 metres. I am one of the quickest at Arsenal but everyone is fast there!”

The ‘we’ refers to older brother Justin, in whose boot marks Gavin is sort of hoping to follow. Sort of because Justin made 68 senior appearances for Arsenal before moving to Middlesbrough last season.

Gavin is hoping to be with the North London giants for longer. “Of course I want to stay there,” he said. “Who wouldn't? You can’t be at Arsenal and think I want to leave.

“You have to think you are going to make it in the first team, otherwise there is no point being there. I have got to carry on training hard and hopefully I will get there one day.”

For now, Hoyte is content to be making the adjutsment to the hustle and bustle of League One on an inviting pitch.

Withdean may be a world away from the Emirates in most respects but the playing surface is much better than Watford’s, where Hoyte also had a loan spell last season.

“The pitch is brilliant, 100 times better than Vicarage Road,” he said. “I maybe have to go longer sometimes (passing) and it is more physical in this division as well but it is not that much different.

“You still have to be quick on the ball and pass it about and the team wants to play football."”

Hoyte will be playing for Albion for longer if it is down to him. His loan is scheduled to end with the Sunday visit to Southampton next month but the Seagulls have been given permission by Arsenal to use him in the FA Cup first round tie at Wycombe Wanderers a week tomorrow.