Brighton stadium plans approved

The Seagulls have been without a home since the Goldstone Ground was sold by previous owners in 1997.

But McGhee told BBC Radio Five Live: "Now we can see light at the end of a long tunnel, waiting for a new stadium.

"We can now focus on two years ahead when the young team we've got can take us into that new stadium."

Brighton have been granted planning permission for a new stadium at Falmer following a public inquiry.

We have been waiting so long for this. I have a tear in my eye From HS Have your say on 606

They have been playing at the ill-suited Withdean, a 6,500-capacity athletics stadium, since 1999 following a spell groundsharing at Gillingham.

McGhee hopes the new stadium can boost the club's disappointing home form, which has seen the Seagulls lose four times at Withdean but only once away.

"I think we've had a fantastic away record," added the Brighton boss. "The problem has been at home and it's got to do with the stadium.

"It's a fantastic thing for the city of Brighton and Hove."

However, McGhee warned that the club still needed to make sure the new stadium had full local support.

"There are people who objected to it." he said.

Never mind over the moon, we're over Jupiter Brighton chairman Dick Knight

"I think at this point it's important that everyone at the football club recognises them and does as much as they can to bring them on board because the stadium is going to happen and people are going to have to live with it."

Seagulls chairman Dick Knight added: "This is the greatest home win ever in the club's history.

"Brighton deserves a stadium and we've been very patient because it's been the longest-running inquiry in football history.

"There's been a lot of hard work gone into this project over the course of the last seven years and we've really been through the mill but that just makes it all the sweeter.