Sophie Perry is boosting Albion Ladies' promotion bid with the help of Patrick Vieira and Jose Antonio Reyes.

The Seagulls hot-shot, who has been nominated for England senior trials, spends the week at Arsenal's Academy.

And Sophie, who has already scored 20 goals this season, believes the experience of rubbing shoulders with the Premiership stars is paying off, both for her and the Seagulls.

She was on target twice as Albion stunned top-of-the-table Chelsea 2-0 in their recent National League (South) clash and hit the mark in the cup quarter-final defeat by Liverpool at Withdean last week.

She said: "If you are not in the Arsenal first or reserve team you're allowed to play for another club.

"Being at Arsenal has certainly sharpened me up when I play for Brighton and I've enjoyed all the goals going in.

"It gives me an extra boost to be training at the same place as the likes of Thierry Henry, Patrick Vieira and the rest of Arsenal's superstars. It feels like a different world.

"The facilities are just what you would expect given that Arsenal are a top club. The dressing rooms are amazing. Everything's perfect.

"I get to meet their top players. I had a chat with Patrick Vieira the other day and he was so friendly. Jose Antonio Reyes is another who has taken his time to talk with me.

"They don't give me advice about my football, but they are just an inspiration because of who they are.

"But we don't get to meet Arsene Wenger. He probably has enough to do anyway!"

Sophie, 17, from Hove, is a resident at the Academy through the week. Each morning is spent at St Albans College studying sports science. A bus then takes them on the short journey to London Colney for training.

She said: "The whole thing suits me. I don't get too homesick partly because Charlotte Sole, who plays with me for Albion and was a schoolmate at Cardinal Newman, is there with me. I get to go home at weekends anyway."

Sophie plays for Arsenal in midweek friendlies against other academy teams, the England women's development side and university teams.

She went to Arsenal at the beginning of last season after six years in Albion's centre of excellence, which has produced a clutch of first-teamers to mirror the success of the men's set-up.

She said: "It was great but only goes up to under-16s and I wanted to carry on with my football.

I picked up a leaflet about Arsenal and thought I'd try and get in their Academy. It wasn't easy. There were more than 200 applications and only 12 places, but fortunately I was able to get on it with Charlotte after a couple of trials."

Sophie has averaged around two goals a game for Albion this term and compares her style to Leon Knight.

She smiled: "We are both small and quick. Leon's been going through a lean patch lately so maybe he should come down and watch a few of our games and learn some lessons!"

Her dream is to follow Julie Hemsley, the England international and former women's development officer for Albion, and play for her country and turn professional.

But she believes it will be difficult to go full-time in England even though women's football is rated the world's fastest-growing sport. An option would be to try and go full-time in America.

In the meantime, she aims to help Albion Ladies maintain their solid start to the season.

Sophie, who made her first-team debut at 14, added: "We've got a decent side this season. Hopefully we can be promoted. I love it at Brighton."

Albion Ladies have experienced captain Karen Ashcroft at centre-back and Emma Mead, who is Sussex women's football development officer, up front alongside Sophie.

Manager Henry Millington said: "We are reaping the benefits of Sophie's improvement at Arsenal. She has a good eye for goal and, hopefully, will get into the England squad.

"With the likes of goalkeeper Charlotte as well, it shows the women's centre of excellence at Albion can be just as successful as the men's. But we've got a decent blend of youth and experience. Karen has been with the club for about ten years.

"She adds stability and is also captain of the county side. Emma is a fine forward and we've got a great team spirit."

There is a strong link between Albion Ladies - who have two senior teams, centre of excellence sides from under-10s to under-16s plus three Sussex Girls League teams - and the Championship club.

Martin Perry is also chairman and chief executive of the ladies set-up and they play games at Withdean.

And if Sophie follows Dan Harding and Adam Hinshelwood by gaining England recognition the males and females of Albion will have even more in common.