Leon Best has vowed to repay the faith of Albion manager Chris Hughton.

Best was bought by Hughton when he was Newcastle boss for £1.5 million from Coventry City.

Five years on, the pair have been reunited after the Seagulls signed striker Best, 28, on loan from Championship rivals Blackburn Rovers.

Best told The Argus: “He knows what I am all about and I know what he is all about. He is a great, honest man.

“No matter what manager I play for I’ll always give 110% but it’s a bit of an extra feeling for Chris which is better.

“He has always looked out for me and he gave me the opportunity to go and play for Newcastle in the Championship and got promoted to the Premier League so I’m delighted to be under him again.

“Hopefully I can get fit, as I am doing, and bring some good play to him.”

Best, ineligible for Sunday’s FA Cup defeat by Arsenal after appearing in the competition for previous loan club Derby County, is in contention for his away debut at Blackpool on Saturday.

He replaced in-form Chris O’Grady in the closing stages of last week’s home win against Ipswich and played for an hour in the under-21s against Middlesbrough on Monday.

Best said: “In the last few games Chris has done really well. It is hard up there on your own sometimes and I’ve been watching him. He has done really well.

“He’s someone you would like to play next to. He works really hard and holds the ball up well. Sometimes when you play with someone like that it gives you the option to do a few other things.

“I’ll be working hard. I’ve been at clubs where there have been five or six strikers wanting to play. It’s all healthy competition. If you are doing well you deserve to play and if you’re not you know there is someone breathing down your neck.”