Wayne Henderson admits he was always confident he would not be on the Albion bench for long.

Now he awaits the chance to make the first save of his second spell at the club after re-introducing himself in the bore draw with Burnley.

Henderson played 16 times for Albion on loan from Aston Villa in the first half of the season having been rushed in along with Paul McShane for the opening-day draw at Derby.

He rejoined the club on a permanent basis last month and, after watching the 3-1 defeat at Sheffield United from the bench, returned in midweek in place of Michel Kuipers to keep his third, and easiest, cleansheet for the Seagulls.

The easy-going Irishman never doubted himself.

He said: "I expected to back in because I worked very hard to put myself into this position and we lost last week. I'm sure Michel isn't best pleased but my own plan was to get in the team as quickly as possible.

"I'm so lucky to have (coach) John Keeley down here. He has been outstanding and kept me going through the tough spells.

"I've been training my backside off just to be ready because I was always hopeful the move would come off.

"I've been working hard to be in the best shape, in body and mind, to be able to play my first game and concentrate the whole way through.

"The plan was to play (at Southampton)

on January 2. That was what was in my mind.

"It's a shame it has taken so long but I'm just glad it has happened."

Henderson was starved of opportunities at Villa and, though the fans who suffered at Withdean on Tuesday might not like being in the bottom three, he sees the coming weeks as a chance to shine.

He said: "It's a pleasure to be in this position. I know the fans or the manager won't say that but it's an opportunity for all of us at the club to make a name for ourselves.

"We want to do right by the fans as well because they have really stuck by us.

"It was nice to get back behind the lads with Macca and Guy (Butters) playing so well.

"Adam El-Abd has come on so much through the season and Joel Lynch has come in and done well.

"I could see when I played for the reserves against Colchester the players they have got coming through.

"The quality they have got in that reserve side is fantastic to watch.

"There's hope for us. Hopefully we get somebody in who is proven and the young lads can learn off."

The enjoyment or otherwise of the relegation scrap is not the only area where Henderson and supporters might not see eye-to-eye.

He could also see merit in the Burnley match, saying: "It was a really good game to settle back in.

"We were steady the whole way through.

"It's a shame we haven't got an out-and-out striker who can bang in 25 goals a season but the lads up there work their socks off for us.

"In the situation we're in we just have to work as hard as we can and see what comes of it."