Lee Steele hopes his former club and an old mate have plenty to celebrate at the Amex today.

Ideally, that would mean finding some way for Albion to clinch the title while Lee Johnson secures safety with Bristol City.

It is 15 years now since Steele scored the dramatic late winner against the Robins at Withdean to take the Seagulls to the brink of the third tier title.

He went on to work as fitness coach at Oldham with Lee Johnson, another ex-Seagulls player who is now in charge of Bristol City.

Steele is currently starting up his own sports management company in his native Liverpool and offers footballers advice on financial matters.

His injury-time header from Gary Hart’s precise cross on Easter Monday, 2002, earned a precious 2-1 win over City and was one of the more memorable goals on their soon-to-be-completed path from fourth tier to first.

The Argus:

Steele celebrates with Gary Hart

Steele told The Argus: “Brighton are getting the success the fans deserve.

“Looking at where they are now, to have played a part in the club when they were going through problems makes you feel proud.

“I’m sure a lot of the lads from those days are proud of what they did for the club through those times.

“To see where they are now is brilliant.

“It would be nice to see them win the title but really it’s job done now they are in the Premier League.

“Bristol City still need a point and it would be great to see Lee stay in the Championship and then get a chance to build his squad.”

Steele, an experienced and proven goal-getter, signed amid much expectation in the summer of 2000 as Micky Adams built a squad to challenge for promotion from the fourth tier.

Although he looked very good on the pre-season tour of Ireland, the return on a permanent deal of Bobby Zamora as the season kicked off stole some of his thunder.

The Argus:

Steele celebrates the title after the following home game, against Swindon

He said: “I never really got going at Brighton. I think it was to do with Withdean and playing in those surroundings.

“I just never got my bearings, never really settled. It just never really happened for me but it was such a successful time for the club and you could see it was a Premier League set-up crowds-wise.”

Steele’s finest moment came in the run-in to the 2001-02 season in what would now be League One as Albion, missing the injured Zamora, struggled against a City side chasing the play-offs.

Junior Lewis put the hosts ahead but Tommy Doherty levelled.

Steele went on after half an hour for the injured Paul Brooker.

He said: “We were playing awful. Bristol City were all over us but Michel (Kuipers) made a few saves and, as usual, we defended well.

“The fans were getting restless and a lot of them had gone down to the running track on their way out.

“Then the ball came in and people thought I was offside.

“I actually thought I timed it perfectly and was onside and I remember there being hysteria when I scored.

“It was very memorable.”

Albion: Kuipers, Watson, Cullip, Morgan, Mayo, Lewis, Carpenter, Jones, Hart, Gray (Hadland 57), Brooker (Steele 30).

Bristol City: Stowell, Carey, Lever, Burnell, Bell, Doherty (Brown 85), Murray, Tinnion, Robinson, Peacock (Matthews 73), Roberts (Thorpe 73).