Albion are swelling their ranks of Ipswich Town players past and present by landing midfielder Ian Westlake from Leeds United.

Westlake, as first revealed on The Argus website, is joining the Seagulls on a month's loan from the Yorkshire giants and goes straight into contention for tomorrow night's (Tues) home game against Gillingham.

The 24-year-old will link up with former Ipswich striker Nicky Forster, plus on-loan Town pair Matt Richards and Dean Bowditch, in Dean Wilkins' play-off chasing squad.

Wilkins said: "He is exactly the calibre of player we want to bring in to strengthen us. He has experience of the Championship and will give another dimension to our options in midfield."

Clacton-born Westlake was at Portman Road for four years. He scored 16 goals in 113 League games before joining Leeds in August 2006 in a part exchange deal with former Albion left-back Dan Harding.

Westlake, Ipswich's player of the year in 2004, has been unsettled at Elland Road, losing his place at one stage to ex-Seagull Seb Carole.

He will be with Albion until the home game against Port Vale on April 5 but cannot play at Elland Road a week earlier.

Defender Andrew Whing has labelled tomorrow's fifth home game in a row against struggling Gillingham as a "must win".

The Seagulls, unbeaten in seven League One outings at Withdean, face some tough fixtures against the top teams in the rest of a hectic March.

Whing said: "It's a massive game for us, a must win really. We have a very difficult run ahead of us, so it's important we pick up points where we can. We have got to travel to Carlisle on Saturday and then Walsall next Tuesday."