Jason Dodd admitted today his brief Albion career will be over at the end of the season.

But he is determined to bow out with a bang, by helping the Seagulls stay in the Championship.

Ankle and back injuries have restricted defender Dodd to six appearances since Albion signed the former Southampton stalwart on a one-year contract last summer.

Dodd, 35, said: "I'm realistic. I'd be very surprised if they even offered me tea boy, because I've not really been involved.

"I've not offered much this season, so I cannot hold out any high hopes over what is going to happen.

"If I was a fan I'd be thinking 'any chance?' (of playing). I understand that and really I've got no argument with it, because they are right.

"I thought I'd be playing in the vast majority of games. If it was through lack of form fair enough, but it has just been taken out of my hands.

"I had two big chunks of bone come off my ankle, which you don't expect, and they think I was carrying that when I came back which set the back off.

"That's the disappointing thing about it. The manager went out of his way to get me down here and I just feel I haven't produced anything."

Dodd's last 90 minutes was back in August against today's visitors Preston.

His comeback from ankle surgery at Cardiff at the end of November was cut short by lower back trouble, but he resumed full training recently and hopes to play a role in the relegation run-in.

"There are eight games left after Preston," he said. "I want to get involved in as many as I can.

"I think that's what the manager is after. We've just got to really dig in. There's a mini-league of four of us at the bottom and we've got to come top of that."

Manager Mark McGhee has sympathy for the burden placed on other Albion veterans, such as skipper Guy Butters and Richard Carpenter, by the absence of squad strengthening.

"I feel for the older players," McGhee said. "The likes of Guy Butters and Richard Carpenter should have been given more help.

"The help we have given them is by bringing in young players, but they, given their efforts, should have been given more help.

"We weren't able to, because of the situation the club is in. We have to accept that, but we don't enjoy it.

"I'm sick of being beaten, I'm sick of having to accept we have a young squad that we can't really strengthen much.

"Every week we come in saying we've done well, battled hard, played well at times, made chances but lost. It's not what I am used to and if anyone thinks I enjoy that they are stupid.

"It's the opposite of what I am used to and the opposite of what I take pride in. When I look at the table and see us second-bottom I'm embarrassed, but I'm having to accept it."