Murray's ready for Albion challenge

10:38pm Friday 25th January 2008

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Glenn Murray is ready to rise to the challenge of becoming Albion's biggest buy for 25 years.

The Seagulls have completed their year-long pursuit of the 6ft 1in Rochdale striker by splashing out £300,000 and awarding him a contract until the summer of 2011.

Murray, 24, is Albion's most expensive purchase since Terry Connor was valued at £500,000 when he moved from Leeds in a swap deal with Andy Ritchie in March 1983.

The Cumbrian-born marksman said: "You have got to be proud of that, it's very flattering. I cannot believe that a club has actually paid that for me. I have just got to try and live up to that."

Murray, bought to partner Nicky Forster, is looking forward to linking up with Albion's 12-goal top scorer.

"He is obviously experienced and first and foremost I want to learn off him," Murray said.

"I'm still quite young and anything I can learn off him will be good.

"As I've grown up you watch the different Leagues and I have seen that he has scored a lot of goals."

Murray arrives for his debut at Northampton on Tuesday in hot form. He has scored six goals in his last seven games for Rochdale, ten in total this season and 21 in 42 League appearances overall. Manager Dean Wilkins said: "We were aware of him last year.

"He has scored with a lot of headers, he has got a good touch and his link-up play is good, so I think we have got a bit of an all-rounder.

"The last goal he scored for Rochdale (at Chesterfield) was real quality, so we are excited by what he can achieve."

Murray's move south has been bankrolled by major shareholder Tony Bloom. He continues to pump money in while Albion struggle with high overheads and falling crowds at Withdean ahead of their switch to Falmer, earmarked for August 2010.