Henrik Bjordal went from quiet Monday nights at Crawley to playing in front of a 35,000 sell-out.

He has enjoyed being a first team regular and felt the pressure of playing for a big club who have under-achieved.

He has played for almost a year, including two pre-seasons. And there is international action on the horizon too.

It is all great experience. Now the Norwegian wideman hopes it helps him make the big breakthrough with Albion when he returns to Sussex.

Bjordal has been on loan with IFK Gothenburg since early March and has been a regular in their side.

The season broke for four weeks after yesterday’s game against Norkopping, during which he will represent his nation’s under-21s in a World Cup qualifier against Latvia.

He will then return to complete his loan before returning to the Seagulls next month.

It has been quite a campaign for Bjordal, who showed up pretty well in pre-season last summer.

But that afternoon when, for example, he did pretty well in a friendly defeat at Stevenage seems a long time ago.

The 20–year-old told The Argus: “I’ve enjoyed it so far. I’ve played every game and I’m very happy to be starting here.

“I’m playing wide right whereas I’ve usually been on the left. But, of course, I’m just happy to play.

The Argus:

“There have been ups and downs. The team haven’t been as good as we had hoped. We haven’t lived up to our own expectations of ourselves.

“I’ve played some good games, some not so good. But I’m still young and I think you will have your ups and downs. I’ve certainly had a couple of bad games. But overall I’m happy with what I’ve done.”

Bjordal played in the Checkatrade Trophy last term but, despite that bright pre-season, did not feature in the senior side.

The closest he got was when travelling with them to games including the 2-1 win at Birmingham just before Christmas.

He was most regularly spotted in those Monday night development squad fixtures at Crawley.

That was until his move arrived as his colleagues prepared for a Sussex Senior Cup semi-final against Eastbourne Borough.

He said: “I wasn’t really happy with my situation at Brighton because I wanted to be somewhere I was playing regular first team football.

“Even before I signed for Brighton, Gothenburg wanted me.

“They had been watching me for a long time. So in March they took the chance to pick me up.

“They started pre-season about then so, when I went there, I was preparing for a season again for a month.

“It has been a long season for me!

“I haven’t had a break since we reported back at Brighton last summer but I enjoy playing football.”

Bjordal was not signed just to boost the squad. He was straight in at the deep end when serious action got under way.

He said: “I had played for the under-23s at Crawley and my next game was the first league fixture here, against Malmo in front of 35,000!

“It was a 1-1 draw and I felt it was a good start for me.

“It’s a very tight league. It’s a good standard.

“I played in Norway before and it’s better than that.

“But it is very difficult to compare with the under-23 league in England.

“I feel I’ve benefited here, It’s important to play first team football and it has been a good time for me.”

Some of the lessons have been learned the hard way.

Gothenburg have a strong reputation in Sweden – and in European football in previous times.

But they were down in 11th place out of 16 before yesterday’s action, albeit with one or two games in hand. That has not gone down well.

Again, a far cry from the Seagulls’ under-23s going a few games without a win.

Bjordal added: “The fans here expect a lot of you.

“There’s more pressure. But I’ve learnt a lot and I want to continue.

“I’ve been focusing on my games here so I’ve not spoken to Brighton too much.

“We will talk, of course, because I don’t want to go back just to playing under-23s.

“I’m back for pre-season and, if they want me to be around the first team squad now they are in the Premier League, that will be good for me.

“I can’t think I’ll go straight to playing in the Premier League “But I need to think about what is best for me.

“If I can be around the first team, I would learn so much.”