Albion chief Steve Coppell has revealed the club has one of the lowest wage bills in Division One.

He believes the Seagulls' struggle at the foot of the table can be directly linked to the modest playing budget and warns they will be hanging on until the new stadium at Falmer materialises.

Coppell outlined the fight Albion are facing against the financial odds as he prepares for his third match in charge at home to Bradford City on Saturday.

"Brighton's wage bill for the playing squad is one of the worst three in the Division," he said. "Ourselves and Grimsby are probably the lowest two and we are the bottom two teams.

"I think success in football is a very defined formula. One of the reasons why teams are successful is that they have the best players and if you spend more money you have got a better chance of getting them.

"It's not always guaranteed, but if you look at ourselves, Grimsby, probably Walsall and maybe Rotherham that have bucked the trend, they are the four teams with the lowest wage bill. Three of those four are in the bottom five or six.

"Roll on the day when the new stadium is here, because that is just going to transform this club. It will take it not just to the next echelon but probably the next but one, to be able to compete with the best.

"At the moment it's hang on. We have got to do our upmost to hang onto the status we have, although from a financial viewpoint whether you are in the First Division or Second Division there is probably not a great deal of advantage either way because of the crowd limit at Withdean."

All the latest from the Seagulls' camp at thisisthealbion.co.uk