Albion manager Mark McGhee admitted today a rare FA Cup win could be the difference between staying up or going down.

The Seagulls take a break from the fight for Championship survival against fellow strugglers Coventry in the third round at Withdean tomorrow.

The stakes are sky high for both clubs with the transfer window re-opened this month, as Coventry found to their benefit in last season's competition.

They saw off Crewe at home in round three before landing a plum tie away to Newcastle, a total cash bonanza of nearly £500,000.

"It's more important for financial reasons," McGhee said.

"If ever there was a Cup tie that could be a moneyspinner from our point of view this is it.

"I'm not exaggerating by saying which ever of us wins will have a better chance of staying up.

"It could be as fundamental as that. If we were able to win and get a Tottenham, Newcastle or Man United and do the right sort of business in the window then we could make sure that we stay up."

McGhee continues to hunt at home and abroad to secure the temporary or permanent signings of a striker, midfielder and leftback.

"All I can do is make recommendations and if I make them strongly enough I know the chairman (Dick Knight) will try his best to do it," McGhee said.

McGhee's hand is strengthened tomorrow by the returns to the squad of Paul Reid, Dean Hammond, Colin Kazim-Richards and Gary Hart as Albion attempt to reach the fourth round for the first time in 13 years.

Reid, Hammond and Kazim-Richards were suspended for Monday's third Championship defeat in a row at Southampton, while Hart has missed the last two matches because of tonsilitis.

Joel Lynch's hopes of staying in the squad following his promising debut at leftback against Southampton have been dashed.

The 18-year-old is ineligible along with fellow young prospects Tommy Elphick and Dean Cox.

Lynch and Elphick played earlier in the competition for Bognor, Cox for Eastbourne Borough.

None of them would have made the starting line-up but at least two would probably have been on the bench.