Albion fans are on tenterhooks with only four possible days left in which John Prescott can drop his final Falmer verdict.

Speculation is rife about when the Deputy Prime Minister will put supporters out of their misery.

Seagulls manager Mark McGhee revealed on Monday the club is expecting a decision on Friday but chairman Dick Knight would not confirm that.

A parliamentary source said the decision has been earmarked for announcement tomorrow, but warned that could change.

Another source close to the Government claimed "categorically" that the decision will come tomorrow or Friday.

But Mr Prescott may choose to let thousands of football fans sweat over the weekend and leave it until Monday's Hallowe'en deadline.

The only thing certain is that it will not be Saturday or Sunday.

Liz Costa, from the Seagulls' supporters' club, said: "It has been a conscious effort not to chew my finger nails down to the bone. I've been waking up in the middle of the night. It's going to be the longest few days of every Albion fan's life.

"It's worse than waiting for a baby to arrive.

"All we can do is remain positive. Everything that has happened to this club since Dick Knight took over has been positive and we can't let the negative doubts creep in.

"We are a club that survives in the face of adversity. But who can predict the vagaries of the political mind?"

Fan Gemma Finch, 24, a teaching assistant from Turkey Road, Bexhill, added: "It's just getting unbearable. Nobody thought he would make us wait it out this long.

"I'm smoking double the amount of cigarettes and I keep looking on the club's web site every half an hour.

"I suppose we've been waiting eight years for it so a few more days won't hurt but it's just the uncertainty."

Allan Busby, 39, a management consultant from Tisbury Road, Hove, added: "It's worse than a penalty shootout and the consequences could be just as dire."

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