Brighton & Hove Albion manager Chris Hughton has revealed that he does not expect to be without Steve Sidwell for too much longer, despite the experienced midfielder undergoing a back operation.

The 34-year-old went under the knife to rectify a long-standing issue, which has delayed his first outing upon the Seagulls' promotion to the Premier League.

Former Chelsea and Stoke City ace Sidwell, who featured 26 times in Brighton's promotion-winning campaign last time out, is now expected to return to full training in the coming weeks.

"It's a minor procedure and it has been successful," Hughton told the club's official website. "In terms of a recovery period, that will become clearer in due course, but we don't expect Steve to be absent for a prolonged period."

Sidwell signed a new one-year deal at The Amex in June after playing an important role in last season's second-placed finish in the Championship.