Georges Santos has joined the Joel Lynch fan club.

It is early days still, both for Lynch and Albion's young and old central defensive partnership, but Santos is encouraged by what he has seen so far.

The 36-year-old Frenchman and Lynch, 18, team up for the sixth time against Leyton Orient at Withdean tomorrow with the Seagulls seeking to build on a couple of clean sheets since they started playing together.

"He is doing very well at the moment," said Santos. "If he keeps going like this he could be a good prospect for the club and for the future.

"If he stays focused on his job then I can't see any reason why he won't be in the Championship or maybe the Premiership.

"There are not many left-footed centre backs in this country, so that is probably a help for him. He has to work hard and listen to the manager.

"The manager and the club can help him achieve his potential but it's up to him. There are a lot of talented players here as well, so it's not about Joel Lynch it's about the team and not just 11 players, maybe 20 or 25 players."

That all for one and one for all spirit, combined with a collective desire to see caretaker Dean Wilkins land the job, has bonded Albion's squad following the sacking of Mark McGhee last week.

It was a shock for Santos so soon after McGhee had signed the former QPR and Sheffield United stopper on a one-year contract, but he is gradually settling in on and off the pitch.

"I'd just arrived, so to see the manager leaving was a bit of a surprise, but it's not my business," said Santos. "The chairman is the person to deal with it.

"I was in an hotel for nearly a month and it's not easy to get to know everyone. That takes time but I'm grateful to the club.

"They have done a good job in finding me a flat and my fitness is getting better and better.

"I just want to perform well for the team. We are professional footballers so we will try to do our best for Dean Wilkins and Dean White."

Santos and Lynch were paired together for the first time in last month's 1-0 Carling Cup win at home to Boston, which secured a second round trip for the Seagulls to Championship newcomers Southend United next Tuesday.

The Marseille-born veteran endured a nightmare full League debut four days later as Albion crashed to a 4-1 defeat against Crewe at Withdean.

But he was outstanding in Wilkins' first match in charge at Millwall last Saturday and put in another solid shift against Bournemouth on Tuesday, although he blames himself for Eddie Howe's equalising header for the visitors from a free-kick deep into the second half.

"Things are not going too badly," Santos said. "I'm pleased so far and I think the last two games have been much better and I'm more confident.

"We should have won on Tuesday but we let in a silly second goal. I was a bit disappointed about that, it was my fault.

"Hopefully tomorrow will be different. We should win but there are no easy games any more in this League.

"We have got a young squad that likes to play football and wants to learn, so I think we could do something.

"In the three games we have lost (Nottingham Forest, Crewe and Bristol City) I don't think the other teams were better than us.

"It's a long season and hopefully we can get back into the Championship but it's going to be tough.

"I'm just happy to be playing week in and week out. That's what I want to do, until my legs stop!"