Stephens reached a double century of appearances for the Seagulls in the 3-1 defeat to Manchester United earlier this month, and the midfielder reflected on a largely successful six years on the south coast to date.
He said, “I am proud, and I was made aware of that statistic just before the game at Old Trafford. It’s not a surprise to think about how long I’ve been here, because I’ve enjoyed it.
“But when I originally signed, I didn’t think I’d be here for such a long time, and I’ve made a lot of good memories.
“The promotion season was the highlight for me, especially after going so close the season before and keeping so much of the team together to go one step further the following year.”
The midfielder spoke in more detail about making his debut at Watford, before revealing the inspiration he takes from Glenn Murray and Bruno in a bid to extend his career for as long as possible.
“We got beaten 2-0. I came in on a Thursday or Friday and had an hour’s match preparation before being thrown straight into the deep end. I enjoyed it, even though we didn’t play particularly well, and it was good to be chucked straight into the team," he continued.
“Since I’ve been here, I’ve always tried to do the best that I can in terms of looking after my body as well as possible.
“You look at Glenn and especially Bruno in that way. You see how well they train, how they eat and do their gym stuff. I’ve had a good set of role models alongside me to do that.”
Attention then turned to Saturday’s fixture against high-flying Leicester City at the Amex Stadium, and assessed the threat which Jamie Vardy will pose in particular.
“It’s not a massive shock [their position in the league] with the players that they have there, and we’re preparing for a tough game at home.
“Jamie Vardy is a player we’ve played against numerous times and as a back four or back five, he’s a player that we’ll definitely have to keep an eye on for sure.”