As new beginnings go it was pretty unfortunate.

Within 48 hours of being paraded as one of Albion's January acquisitions, Jonny Dixon was in the treatment room and out of first team contention.

Now Dixon is back and ready to try and force his way into the plans of manager Dean Wilkins after recovering from the right ankle ligament damage which marred the launch of his Albion career.

The Seagulls' £55,000 capture from Aldershot said: "It was my second training session and a bit of a freak. I landed on someone's foot, I'm not quite sure who it was, and my ankle turned and the ligaments were strained.

"I was obviously gutted but injuries are part and parcel of the game and the longer you are a pro you realise you have to get on with it and not let it affect your mental state."

Instead of making his debut at home to Crewe at Withdean three weeks ago, Dixon's first appearance in an Albion shirt came at an empty Loftus Road on Wednesday for the reserves in a 1-0 win at Queens Park Rangers.

He came through unscathed and the cosmopolitan 24-year-old is in the squad for the first time for today's visit by Oldham.

"The ankle during the reserve game was fine," he said. "I'm having it strapped at the moment, because it is obviously still a bit weak, but there is no pain and I am raring to go when ever I am called upon."

It was in similarly low-key cirumstances to his midweek outing in West London that Dixon, born in Spain of a Chinese-Malaysian mother and English father, first attracted Albion's interest.

Chief scout Barry Lloyd stopped on the way to another match to watch Aldershot's reserves at the start of the season and was taken by the 5ft 9ins front man who offered something a little bit different.

Dixon said: "At that time we had a new manager in (Gary Waddock) and my frame of mind was to force my way into the first team there, because I was third choice at the beginning of the season.

"I've had to do that for a lot of my career, so it doesn't faze me. After I while I broke into the side and was scoring goals for the first team."

A few months later, Dixon finds himself as a third choice striker in League One after finding the back of the net 32 times in 66 starts plus seven substitute appearances in the Blue Square premier.

"I was under no illusions coming in," he said. "I wasn't going to walk into the team or anything like that. At the moment Glenn Murray and Fozzie (Nicky Forster) are starting up front and they are playing well.

"The aim for me now is to get completely fit and see if I get any pitch time, just work my hardest and try to score goals."

Spectators at Withdean today could be forgiven for not recognising Dixon. Apart from not seeing him in action yet, there is also a lot less hair compared to when he signed.

"It's a change of image," he explained. "It was getting warmer as well but it has been freezing since I had it done, so I am regretting it now!"

A fit-again Dixon may not be out in the cold for much longer.