ALBION manager Micky Adams has pledged to hit his players in the pocket for "silly" disciplinary offences.

He has laid the law down to the whole squad in the wake of Darren Freeman's red card for spitting at Plymouth on Saturday.

The Argus revealed in yesterday's late editions that Freeman has been fined a week's wages on top of his automatic four-match ban. Adams also warned his top scorer's place is not guaranteed for tonight's home game against Lincoln.

Now the boss has told the rest of the players: step out of line and you will be fined too.

Albion have one of the worst disciplinary records in the country.

Freeman was previously sent-off at Cheltenham for stamping and Charlie Oatway at Darlington for biting, while Danny Cullip was dismissed at Plymouth as well for a second bookable offence.

The Seagulls have also accumulated 42 bookings and Gary Hart and Warren Aspinall are both banned from the replay under the totting up system.

Adams revealed: "I had a meeting with the players yesterday morning and left them in no doubt.

"The Third Division is very competitive. You have to stand up and be counted and I'll back my players 100 per cent for tackles which are slightly late. That is part and parcel of the game.

"But I can't back them if they are going to get sent-off for silly things. We've had four this season and three could have been avoided.

"They will lose money now. I am not one for that in the Third Division, because the money they get, they earn.

"It's not like in the Premiership, where they are earning thousands of pounds.

"They are earning a decent living, some like the normal man in the street, and I don't like taking money off players when they are trying their best for the club and themselves.

"But I am going to start it now.

"Darren Freeman has been fined a week's wages for his actions and that gives them the message that I'm not having it."

Adams spoke at length with Freeman on Sunday morning, then again yesterday morning.

"He let himself down, the club down, his family down and everybody connected with Brighton," said Adams.

"He knows that and he is full of remorse. He has been left in no doubt at all that it's not good enough."

Virus victim Hart resumed training yesterday after missing the Plymouth match, but Albion have a slight doubt about central defender Darren Carr.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.