GEORGE O'Callaghan is determined to make his mark while on loan at Brighton and force Jim Magilton into a rethink.The Blues midfielder has joined the League One club until January and has promised to give his all for the Seagulls, but is determined to get back playing at Championship level at least.

By Derek Davis

GEORGE O'Callaghan is determined to make his mark while on loan at Brighton and force Jim Magilton into a rethink.

The Blues midfielder has joined the League One club until January and has promised to give his all for the Seagulls, but is determined to get back playing at Championship level at least.

O'Callaghan rejected a permanent move to the Withdean Stadium, but accepted the offer to join Albion for a four-moth spell.

Although the switch could lead to a longer-term signing, O'Callaghan is determined to show what he is capable of and prove a point to Ipswich Town manager Magilton, who has not used him consistently.

O'Callaghan said: “I really like Ipswich and wanted to do well. It was my big chance to prove myself in England, but I couldn't do that if I was not getting a run of games.

“It was frustrating playing well in one game then not getting picked for the next, and at my age I need to be playing all the time.

“Hopefully at Brighton I can be doing that and I will be busting a gut for them to show what I can do.

“Then when I come back in January hopefully the gaffer at Ipswich will want me in the side all the time.”

Town miss out on a possible fee of around £75,000 for O'Callaghan and may try instead to cash in on him in the New Year, although the Irishman will be free to talk to other clubs then as his contract expires next summer.

O'Callaghan is expected to go straight into Brighton's starting line-up for their League One game against Southend tomorrow, while Town go to Watford, where the midfielder impressed so much before being wrongfully sent off in the FA Cup last January.

The Blues have also allowed Ian Miller to stay at Darlington until the end of December in order for him to play on a regular basis.

Even though Ipswich missed out on Cesar Navas, who has now joined Racing Santander in La Liga, Magilton is not likely to bring in another centre-half until the emergency transfer window reopens in a fortnight, with a Premier League player targeted.

Although Ipswich and the player were very close to agreeing personal terms, Navas chose to stay in Spain for personal reasons after his girlfriend told him she did not want to come to England, and signing for the Cantabrians made his home life easier.