On 24 February 2009 Stockport agreed to allow Gannon to hold talks with Brighton & Hove Albion, who were seeking to fill the managerial position left vacant by Micky Adams. He suggested that his family would play a large part in his decision to move clubs, with Stockport's financial troubles looming but uprooting his family to move to Brighton being undesirable. Gannon was made favourite to be given the job by several bookmakers, and he met with Brighton chairman Dick Knight on the 25th, before announcing on the 26th that he had chosen not to take the job. Knight had indicated that Gannon was his first choice for the job, and former Stockport players now at Brighton had shown their desire for Gannon to be given the job. However, Gannon turned down the opportunity and vowed stay with at the Edgeley Park club.