David Stockdale hopes to buy his father-in-law a consolation pint in the run-up to Christmas.

It will mean the Albion goalkeeper is trying to cheer him up after helping beat his beloved Leeds.

Stockdale takes on his home city club tomorrow and it is a fixture which has always been a bit special for him, quite apart from the implications of a promotion race.

Christmas is a family time – and so is Albion v Leeds in the Stockdale household.

The Leeds-born No.1 said: “Every time we play them, I usually get more than a hundred messages on my phone wishing me bad luck, but good luck for the rest of the season!

“There are two games in the season a lot of my friends tell me they don’t want me to win. It’s always harmless, good natured, but there’s usually one person who won’t talk to me if we win and that’s my father-in-law. We are used to it now and it’s become a family tradition!

The Argus:

Stockdale at full stretch to deny Aston Villa recently

“For me, I just want to keep things going by getting three points.

“Leeds are a massive club and Garry Monk is doing a great job there. We know they are all hard games – even when we played Leeds last season and they weren’t doing as well, it was hard.

“Every team in this division is hard to play against. We’ll keep on taking it one game at a time and hopefully get three points.”

He added: “My father-in-law is coming down for Christmas dinner so I hope he isn’t talking to me – but I would take that if it means we have got three points.

“I’ll buy him a pint over Christmas so he should be all right!”

Things are looking up for Leeds and Stockdale is happy for them.

He said: “It’s very pleasing for the city and all the Leeds fans that I grew up with.

“It’s not easy to see your club go down to League One and see the club lose fans.

“It was a bit unexpected this year with a new manager and a lot of things happening off the field, so for Leeds to come out and do what they’ve done with a young team shows everything is well placed for the future.

“I hope they do well, apart from in the two games against us, and then they can finish one place behind us in second!

“I really like Garry Monk. I was impressed by his teams at Swansea and with the way he conducts himself.

“When he was appointed I said to friends and family that I felt he could take Leeds to the next level. I didn’t think he’d have such a quick impact, or that they’d be this high at this stage, but he’s done his job and kept going.

“It was a tough start to the season for him, but he’s done what he does. He’s not gone off topic and Leeds fans have taken to him.

“You know you’re on side with Leeds fans when they open up the top tier of the East Stand! If they do that then you’re definitely doing something right.”

So it is a big game. And it gets bigger when you take into account the context of looking to improve on last season’s form going into, and just after, Christmas which ultimately cost Albion promotion.

It was not the first time they had struggled at this time of year.

The Argus:

David Stockdale is beaten by Middlesbrough's Albert Adomah last December

Gus Poyet’s Albion suffered four successive defeats to end 2011.

Sami Hyypia stepped down in late December as his side plunged into deeper trouble.

Even the League One winning side of 2010-11 went two months without a league win between early November and New Year’s Day.

This time last year the Seagulls were about to embark on trips to Derby and QPR which resulted in wasteful draws before the defeats started.

Every dropped point counted. Even the third goal they conceded at home to Middlesbrough just before Christmas had consequences far beyond what we could have imagined at the time.

Stockdale said: “December was a disaster for us, compared with our form across the rest of the season, but it is not something which is in our minds.

“We had a lot of injuries, and they took their toll. Every club will go through a period like that.

“Hopefully we can make up for it this Christmas and right the wrongs from last year. We only fell short by a couple of goals but, when you reflect, that was down to the festive period.

“We want to put as many points on the table between now and the end of the season.”

Stockdale has won four out of four against Leeds for the Seagulls and was right in front of the Kop when Bobby Zamora scored the late clincher at Elland Road last season.

Boos turned to applause when he went over to give his gloves to a child in the front row at the final whistle.

The Argus:

The gift-giving was equally welcome this week as he joined Albion players on a visit to children at Worthing Hospital. Other players visited unwell children elsewhere, including the Royal Alex in Brighton.

He said: “It’s very important because those in the children’s ward may not go home for Christmas, so for us to make a visit personally and give them presents is a massive thing for the kids and parents just to show the support we’ve got in the community and give something back.”