Relieved Sheffield Wednesday manager Paul Sturrock wants funds made available to ensure his side do not have to go through another relegation battle after they secured their Coca-Cola Championship survival with a 2-0 win at Brighton.

A Gary Hart own-goal and Burton O'Brien's superb solo effort ensured Wednesday live to fight another day while amazingly condemning three clubs - Brighton, Crewe and Millwall - to the drop in one fell swoop.

Sturrock insisted he was "proud" of his battling players and felt the achievement of staying in the division outweighed last season's promotion from League One, but made it clear he wants the Owls further up the table this time next year.

"I'm delighted for everyone at the club," said Sturrock.

"It's been a traumatic season, a rollercoaster, with injuries and players coming and going, but the last five or six weeks we have finally adapted to this league.

"I think we have done a better job this season than we did last season. I'm proud of them all.

"We can grow from this, it will make us stronger, but we have to make sure we are not in a transitional period at the beginning of next season.

"We need to get four or five players in to make us stronger. The chairman wants us heading towards the play-offs in two years so hopefully the funds will be available."

Sturrock also had a word of sympathy for fellow Scot Mark McGhee, whose young Brighton side slipped through the trapdoor after their two-year stint in the Championship - a remarkable feat in itself given the resources at the Withdean Stadium.

"Obviously I know Mark well and I don't like being involved in this but there's no room for sentiment," he added.

"Mark is a good manager though, and I'm sure he'll be banging on the door again next season."

McGhee was obviously disappointed to be heading back to League One, but insisted no-one should be surprised at Brighton's fate given the circumstances at the club.

McGhee also vowed to hold onto some of his bright young players, with rookies such as Adam Hinshelwood, Dean Hammond and Joel Lynch providing the few bright spots in another season of struggle on the south coast.

"It was a poor game and we went out with a bit of a whimper," said McGhee.

"The players have tried so hard to stay in this division and we've come up a little bit short.

"But it's a long-term job here, and I'm building a squad that I intend to still have when we walk out in our new stadium.

"We'll work hard over the summer to run out at the beginning of next season a better team, but everyone knows the club is not in a position to go splashing out on players.

"Young players will improve more playing in the Championship, so it's a step back for us in terms of their development."

McGhee will also try to hold on to Gifton Noel-Williams, the on-loan Burnley striker who arrived too late to save the Seagulls but provided the targetman they had been missing all season over the final few games.

"We need a centre-forward, I haven't spoken to Gifton yet but if it's not him then we need someone like him," added McGhee.

"That's top of my shopping list over the summer."