Cullip To Stay
By Tim Dudding
Mark McGhee today told seagulls.co.uk he wants his captain Danny Cullip to remain at the club.
Albion's influential skipper is the subject of a bid from Championship rivals Sheffield United, but McGhee revealed the club have offered Cullip a much-improved contract in a bid to keep him on the south coast.
"We don't want Danny Cullip to leave," McGhee insisted. "Ultimately it will be Danny's decision.
"As far as we are concerned it is a hostile bid. We don't want to lose Danny, regardless of the fact that he's out of contract at the end of the season. We've offered him a contract that is as good as anything anyone's ever had here.
"But it's not about that for Danny. It's about ambition and playing in a team at the top pf the division and the possibility of playing in the Premiership."
McGhee also confirmed he plans to leave Cullip out of the squad for tomorrow night's visit of Stoke, saying, "He's not in the right frame of mind. He's been thrown into turmoil.
"As much as Danny is a strong character, we've talked it through and come to the decision that he should sit this one out, get his head right& and see we are after the game."
McGhee was also at pains to point out that if Cullip does decide to depart for Sheffield United there will be no acrimony, and the Brighton boss urged the same approach from the fans.
"If Danny Cullip leaves here it will be with great reluctance. He's enjoyed his time here and he's been an unbelievable servant to the club.
"He's held in such high esteem by the fans, and I think if he leaves now that should continue.
"There's no reason why anyone should think any less of him because he's got every right to further his career at a time when there's uncertainty around our club."
By Tim Dudding
Mark McGhee today told seagulls.co.uk he wants his captain Danny Cullip to remain at the club.
Albion's influential skipper is the subject of a bid from Championship rivals Sheffield United, but McGhee revealed the club have offered Cullip a much-improved contract in a bid to keep him on the south coast.
"We don't want Danny Cullip to leave," McGhee insisted. "Ultimately it will be Danny's decision.
"As far as we are concerned it is a hostile bid. We don't want to lose Danny, regardless of the fact that he's out of contract at the end of the season. We've offered him a contract that is as good as anything anyone's ever had here.
"But it's not about that for Danny. It's about ambition and playing in a team at the top pf the division and the possibility of playing in the Premiership."
McGhee also confirmed he plans to leave Cullip out of the squad for tomorrow night's visit of Stoke, saying, "He's not in the right frame of mind. He's been thrown into turmoil.
"As much as Danny is a strong character, we've talked it through and come to the decision that he should sit this one out, get his head right& and see we are after the game."
McGhee was also at pains to point out that if Cullip does decide to depart for Sheffield United there will be no acrimony, and the Brighton boss urged the same approach from the fans.
"If Danny Cullip leaves here it will be with great reluctance. He's enjoyed his time here and he's been an unbelievable servant to the club.
"He's held in such high esteem by the fans, and I think if he leaves now that should continue.
"There's no reason why anyone should think any less of him because he's got every right to further his career at a time when there's uncertainty around our club."
