He has not scored since January, he has played just once since mid-February, he has only started ten games.

And yet the gamble Bobby Zamora and Albion both took when he returned this season has paid off.

That will remain the verdict even if he does not kick another ball for the club that launched his path to stardom, or for anyone else.

Fans will, of course, be hoping that is not the case with eight games still to play, more if Albion end up in the play-offs again rather than achieving automatic promotion.

Even if it is the case then Zamora, at the age of 35, has already made a significant contribution to the promotion challenge.

When Albion sign a striker now they do not look solely at the goal tally, they also assess the value of those goals.

All of them are precious but some are more important than others. The ones that secure a point, or two extra points, rather than making a comfortable win even more comprehensive.

In his 26 Championship outings, the majority of them from the bench, Zamora has delivered a magnificent seven.

That is a total which even now, in spite of his inactivity, has him second in Albion's chart, six adrift of Tomer Hemed, one ahead of Jamie Murphy.

It is not just the number of goals, it is their impact on Albion's position in the table which has made Zamora's comeback so worthwhile.

Old Father Time dulls pace, mobility and, more often than not, general fitness levels. It does not remove a goalscorer's instincts, that knack of knowing where the ball might land and finishing when the chance comes.

Evidence that Zamora's touch had not deserted him first surfaced at Elland Road in mid-October. On as a substitute and with the game against Leeds delicately poised at 1-1, he cleverly clipped an 89th minute winner from Gaetan Bong's pass.

It was quite a way to open his account in his second spell at the club and we only had to wait three days for another memorable moment.

Zamora's first goal for Albion at the Amex arrived in similar circumstances, late-on as a substitute to snatch another 2-1 victory, this time against Bristol City with a low drive from 15 yards.

Zamora's impact on Albion's fortunes in October was multiplied in November and December.

Burnley will be grateful if he is not involved in Saturday's table-topping showdown at the Amex. He was Johnny-on-the-spot again against them at Turf Moor, celebrating his second start by converting the rebound inside the opening minute after Hemed hit the bar in a 1-1 draw.

Back on home soil, Zamora was at it again in two more games in succession in the starting line-up.

He restored Albion's advantage early in the second half of a 2-1 win against Birmingham, slotting in at the far post from opening scorer Solly March's assist.

A week later, the Seagulls were 2-0 down in five minutes against Charlton. Hemed came off the bench to head a later winner after Zamora got them back on level terms seven minutes from time, converting another cross from March from close range.

January yielded further key moments in back-to-back matches. Blackburn suffered the same fate as Lancashire neighbours Burnley, Zamora pouncing for a decisive early tap-in after Murphy struck a post.

It was especially vital, halting Albion's seven-game league slump without a win before and after Christmas.

The last goal Zamora scored, at home to Huddersfield seven days later, was the opener this time in another 2-1 victory, rounding off a devastating counter-attack from Anthony Knockaert's inviting set-up.

His overall rate of a goal every 136.29 minutes is bettered only by Burnley's Andre Gray, the Championship's top scorer.

More importantly, Zamora has earned Albion 13 points. Again, only Gray can better that, Burnley accruing 19 points directly from his 22 goals.

There were risks involved for both parties when Zamora returned in August, with the new season just days away.

He had been a backburner option for Albion, potential late transfer window dressing once other deals had fallen into place.

Circumstances accelerated his arrival. Supporters were sceptical at that stage, both of Albion's capacity to recover from the struggle last season under Sami Hyypia and the transfer business following the failings the previous summer.

Hemed, unproven in England with a modest goal record, was on board. James Wilson, Murphy, Connor Goldson, Uwe Huenemeier at that juncture were not.

With Nottingham Forest's visit on the horizon, fans needed a lift, Chris Hughton needed another striker. Zamora's wish for a return became a no-brainer for club bosses.

He risked disobeying the unwritten rule that you should never go back, risked tarnishing the memory of his legendary exploits in his first stint, spearheading Albion's rapid rise from League Two to the Championship.

It has not come to that. Instead, a fairytale conclusion to the tale is plausible. Zamora closing his career with Albion in the Premier League automatically, or perhaps scoring in another play-off final to get them there (as he has done twice for West Ham and QPR).

Sneaking above Kit Napier, Bert Stephens and Albert Mundy into second place behind Tommy Cook in Albion's all-time League scoring chart with a few more goals.

They are within range because Zamora has already justified his return. The gamble has paid off.