It was yet another bleak December for Brighton fans. Six games, zero wins, just three points collected.
Albion supporters would argue they deserved some festive cheer, and it came belatedly in the form of Pascal Gross.
To say the German was a fan favourite during his first spell would be an understatement.
Embed from Getty ImagesAnd unsurprisingly, he was given a hero’s welcome, even when his name was announced as one of the substitutes by the PA announcer before kick-off.
As Brighton cruised to a 2-0 lead, it looked inevitable that we would see Gross enter the field.
And in the 70th minute, Fabian Hurzeler turned to the bench in a move that would create the biggest cheer of the afternoon.
It was a transfer in which, in Pascal’s words, only became an option on December 31st.
But three days later, he was back where he belonged.
And the 34-year-old held a grace and elegance to which Brighton fans had become so accustomed to.
From the off, he demanded the ball off his teammates and kept it so effortlessly.
Gross had this trustworthy presence on the field which will undoubtedly lift all his teammates around him in the second half of the season.
Despite a small 20-minute cameo, he attempted 19 passes and was involved in six duels. This is not a man afraid of getting stuck in.
While we may not see Gross at his very best, just his presence alone has lifted a fanbase who may have feared their season was stagnating.
His stature at a club means he will be a role model to the array of young talent that the Seagulls have to offer and should prove to be an astute piece of business.
Embed from Getty ImagesWritten by Noah Mitchell
INMR FOOTBALL 
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