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Dodd sees big future for Brighton...
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New Brighton signing Jason Dodd believes the club have a bright future if they are given the go-ahead for their proposed stadium at Falmer.
Brighton will find out by 31 October whether they will receive permission to build their new 22,000 stadium.
And Dodd told BBC Sport: "For the first time in six years Brighton stayed in the same division last season.
"Now we need to stay as high as possible to attract fans and investors to the new ground - that is a must."
However, Dodd admits that securing permission to build the new stadium is crucial for the Championship side - and points to his former club Southampton as an example of how a new ground can help a club progress.
Dodd joins Brighton
Southampton were relegated from the Premiership at the end of last season but Dodd, who spent 16 years with Saints, believes the club have grown after leaving The Dell for St Mary's.
"The excitement is there, everything has progressed after moving stadium, not just on the pitch but off it as well," added Dodd.
"I had that with Saints and I would like to see it come to Brighton.
"I don't know if I will but the chairman and manager said that if I do well this season I will get another year."
Dodd also believes Brighton can learn from the way in which Saints continually belied expectations - preserving their top-flight status for 27 years.
Brighton await Falmer decision
"If you get a good run together you never know what can happen," he said.
"We're not saying we are going to win the league but we are looking to finish as high as we can.
"We have a small but tight squad and that counts for a lot. If you are in trouble you need people to dig in.
"At Southampton we were never the best in the world but had a great unit and worked hard for each other."
For now, though, Dodd is focusing on getting through his 17th pre-season as a professional footballer.
The Brighton squad were put through three sessions a day - at 7am, 11am and 4pm - on their recent trip to France.
"Every pre-season the lads say it is definitely harder than last year but when you get to the end of it you feel great, you forget how difficult it was," he admitted.
"After the hard four or five weeks I will be as fit as I'll will ever be.
"I don't want to finish my career after a poor season at Southampton. I want to try and go out on a bit of a high."
Brighton will find out by 31 October whether they will receive permission to build their new 22,000 stadium.
And Dodd told BBC Sport: "For the first time in six years Brighton stayed in the same division last season.
"Now we need to stay as high as possible to attract fans and investors to the new ground - that is a must."
However, Dodd admits that securing permission to build the new stadium is crucial for the Championship side - and points to his former club Southampton as an example of how a new ground can help a club progress.
Dodd joins Brighton
Southampton were relegated from the Premiership at the end of last season but Dodd, who spent 16 years with Saints, believes the club have grown after leaving The Dell for St Mary's.
"The excitement is there, everything has progressed after moving stadium, not just on the pitch but off it as well," added Dodd.
"I had that with Saints and I would like to see it come to Brighton.
"I don't know if I will but the chairman and manager said that if I do well this season I will get another year."
Dodd also believes Brighton can learn from the way in which Saints continually belied expectations - preserving their top-flight status for 27 years.
Brighton await Falmer decision
"If you get a good run together you never know what can happen," he said.
"We're not saying we are going to win the league but we are looking to finish as high as we can.
"We have a small but tight squad and that counts for a lot. If you are in trouble you need people to dig in.
"At Southampton we were never the best in the world but had a great unit and worked hard for each other."
For now, though, Dodd is focusing on getting through his 17th pre-season as a professional footballer.
The Brighton squad were put through three sessions a day - at 7am, 11am and 4pm - on their recent trip to France.
"Every pre-season the lads say it is definitely harder than last year but when you get to the end of it you feel great, you forget how difficult it was," he admitted.
"After the hard four or five weeks I will be as fit as I'll will ever be.
"I don't want to finish my career after a poor season at Southampton. I want to try and go out on a bit of a high."