Former Albion defender Andy Crosby has no intention of hanging up his boots, even though he will be restricted to a watching brief on his return to Withdean tomorrow.

The 35-year-old will be in the away dugout in his role as Scunthorpe’s assistant manager, rather than out on the pitch where he once helped Micky Adams’ Seagulls to title glory.

“I’ve been out since March with tendonitis in my knee,” Crosby said. “I have just started training again over the last couple of weeks, so hopefully I am cured.

“I’ve got a year left on my contract and I want to carry on playing as long as I can. You are a long time finished.”

Crosby was a regular at centre half in the Albion team which won the old Third Division in 2000-2001 after Adams bought him from Chester.

“Since I left Brighton I have come across Micky a few times,” he said. “I bumped into him once on holiday and last year, when we played Colchester.

“I have got a lot of respect for him. He is a top, top manager. I really enjoyed playing for him.

“He was good towards me and I’ve got only good memories of playing down there, because it was the first success I had really.

“I know what Brighton will be like. They will be organised, fit and good from set plays.”

Crosby’s two-and-a-half year stay with Albion ended in frustration and a move to Oxford but he has no regrets about the way his career has panned out after an amazing run of success with Scunthorpe.

He said: “Micky brought in Simon Morgan, who was absolutely superb. I was disappointed not to be involved but I was on the bench. Then somebody got injured and I still wasn’t picked.

“It was a bit frustrating and the same thing happened for Peter Taylor’s first game in charge.

“I felt I was banging my head against a brick wall. I had done well in the title-winning team the season before and thought I deserved a chance.

“I wanted to play first team football, which is why I left in the end, although Peter Taylor wanted me to stay.

“When I came to Scunthorpe in 2004 the club had just finished third bottom in League Two. We’ve had a remarkable four years really, two promotions and, unfortunately, one relegation.

“We came so close last year to staying in the Championship but it was a great learning experience for our young squad and hopefully we can get back to that level.”