Mark McGhee today revealed how a delay over a new stadium is costing Albion precious league points.

The Seagulls are expected to hear by the end of this month whether they have the go-ahead to build a new home at Falmer.

McGhee believes the way his team responded to the atmosphere generated by 22,449 fans in Tuesday's 1-0 win at Crystal Palace helped prove they would thrive in bigger and better surroundings.

Albion have lost four times at Withdean this season but suffered just one away defeat, taking points off Leicester, Derby and Leeds.

McGhee said: "You can't get away from it. I think we'd be a lot higher up the division if we had a stadium. There is absolutely no doubt about that.

"If we could play in that sort of atmosphere every week, our players would rise to it.

"As much as our supporters try their hardest to generate some sort of enthusiasm and some sort of atmosphere at Withdean, it is almost impossible.

"That gets through to the players. They have to do it all themselves at Withdean and that's difficult. We played at Palace on a stage like that and we loved it."

Albion's white kit, used as a one-off for the win at Palace, is fast becoming a collector's item.

Fans have until 9.30am on Monday to order one of the limited edition shirts, embroidered with the date of the match, via the club shop at 5 Queens Road, Brighton, on (01273) 776969 or via www.seagulls.co.uk.