Exciting young keeper Mitch Walker has signed a one-year extension to his current contract, keeping him at the club until the end of the 2011/12 season.
The 18-year-old stopper signed his first professional deal last August while still a second-year scholar, before breaking into the first team at the end of last season to make his debut in the 1-0 win against Yeovil.
Walker told seagulls.co.uk, "When I first signed my pro deal, if someone had told me I would have actually been involved in the first team by the end of the season I wouldn't have believed them!
"To be on the bench for a few games and then finally make my debut in the last match was great, and it's brilliant to sign for a further year."
Walker's fellow custodian Michel Kuipers recently left the club after 10 years of service, and the youngster was keen to pay tribute to the Dutch legend.
"Michel was at the club all the time I've been coming through the ranks. He's had a big effect on my training since I've been at the club. He is a great professional, he's nearly 36 and he's still in fantastic shape.
"It's sad to see him go, and I wish him well at Crawley."
Walker is now keenly anticipating the release of the new fixtures next Thursday, while his first pre-season as a professional is also looming on the horizon.
"This will be my first ever proper set of fixtures, rather than youth team fixtures, so it's going to be interesting to see how all the games pan out," he said.
"Everyone has the opinion that goalkeepers will be at the back of the group during pre-season, but personally I like to work doubly hard to prove to everyone that we're not lazy and slow at the back!"
Log on to seagulls.co.uk at 9am on Thursday 17th June for Albion's 2010/11 fixtures, plus the Carling Cup draw is announced on Wednesday 16th June.
