Gordon Greer is ready for another big defensive challenge - against an old Albion mate.

The Seagulls visit a Birmingham side featuring 6ft 3in Chris Wood, part of the League One title-winning squad last term.

Wood, on loan from West Bromwich, has made rapid strides as a goalscorer this season and netted nine times in his last nine games.

He came off the bench for the final 20 minutes at St Andrew’s last night as Birmingham beat Leeds through a lone Nikola Zigic goal to move up to eighth in the table.

The result has pushed the Seagulls down to 13th.

Skipper Greer said: “Woodsy has done brilliantly this year. He did well for us last season but he has carried that on now and been excellent for them.

“He has scored a lot of goals and it will be good to see him.

“I don’t know how many he got us last year but he is young and still learning.”

Greer expects a bruising tussle but insists Albion will be encouraged by their efforts against West Ham on Monday.

He said: “It’s a very physical league. That’s what you will get every Tuesday and Saturday but it’s up to us to raise our game.

“We created a couple of chances, we were organised at the back. It was a good team performance but we lost a bad goal.”

Birmingham go into Saturday’s game looking for a seventh straight win after 6ft 7in Zigic sank Leeds with his first goal since last February’s Carling Cup final win over Arsenal.

Wood was denied a goal by Paul Rachubka’s save at the death.

Meanwhile Albion Reserves will kick-off their defence of the Sussex Senior Cup with a trip to County League minnows Loxwood next Wednesday (7.45pm).