Uwe Huenemeier has a few lessons to pass on to his new young colleagues back home.

But, as the Albion defender returns to Paderborn, the biggest might surround events on and soon after Saturday, March 4, 2017 by the River Trent.

The tip he passes on might be: Believe in yourself even if others are doubting.

That was the moment Albion’s seemingly serene push for promotion came under serious threat as they trailed 3-0 to Nottingham Forest while bang-in-form Huddersfield prepared to host wobbling Newcastle.

The Terriers were only six points behind the Seagulls with a game in hand.

As all that went on, Shane Duffy went down injured. It looked serious. It proved to be season-ending.

The Argus:

“His injury was probably more damaging than the result,” read The Argus on Monday.

But two things happened. First, Newcastle rode an awful lot of luck to nick a win at Huddersfield in the early evening fixture.

Then Huenemeier stepped into the side and produced a superb series of displays which expelled all the worries.

As it turned out, Albion kept clean sheets in three of their next four matches and were up with three games to go.

Huenemeier, who made such a stylish debut at Fulham early in the 2015-16 season, felt he proved a point in those weeks.

And that might just be the finest memory of three years in England in which he played far fewer games than he would ever have expected – just 24 league starts plus nine more in the cups.

Huenemeier told The Argus: “There was a lot of pressure on me because everyone was saying ‘Can he deliver? He hasn’t played in a while’.

“There was a lot to play for in that moment.

“We were really close to the Premier League and you play for a lot of money as well.

The Argus:

“I was really pleased that I stepped up that time and performed.

“I proved myself again because after you have been out for so long, it is not easy to come into a team which worked really well. I was very pleased.”

He added: “It was a bit like a roller coaster here. We came really close in the first year. Then I had my injury, which was a big blow to me.

“We came close at the end of the season, we didn’t make it “Then last year we stepped up in that way again as a team, we got 92 or 93 points again.”

Huenemeier has had to take rough with smooth but insisted: “It is a great experience to go abroad as a German player and we have been really successful here.

“I have been part of a great team, a great club.

“It was much better than I ever believed.

“I am really pleased that I’ve done it.

“I’m always looking back with much joy and I will definitely come back sooner rather than later.”

He added: “I think my English is much better now!”

As well as being a student of the English game, Heuenemeier has kept close tabs on Paderborn. Very close.

He captained them in the top flight, left for the Amex after relegation and then followed from a distance as they went down again.

His old defensive sidekick Markus Krosche took over as sporting director, the man you see quoted and pictured whenever a new signing is made.

Huenemeier knew there would be interest in his services if the young side Krosche had built could secure promotion.

In the end, they did it with a few games to spare along with former East German giants, Magdeburg.

That was what set the wheels in motion.

Interest from QPR came too late. Huenemeier’s move when his contract expired was a fait accompli by the time they came in.

The fact he had left his wife and two young children back home was also a big factor in his decision.

He said: “It was quite clear for me to go back to Germany. Now it is my former club it is even more special.

“Since I left they pretty much changed their whole team.

“They have changed their style of football.

“They play an attacking football, pressing high and scoring a lot of goals.

“It is a totally different team, a young hungry team.

“A lot of them never played in the second league before so they need some experience.

“They got back to 2.Bundesliga and that is probably where the club belongs.

“I’m really pleased for that. I have followed them a lot.

“I was commenting on social media quite often, even in the bad times when they got relegated.

“Now my former team-mate is sporting manager so I was always in touch with them and some physiotherapists there. I have some good connections there.

“It was easy to keep in touch but you never know how they are planning their next season. Everybody was saying, ‘you’re out of contract so why aren’t you going back to Paderborn?’ “It’s not as easy as everybody thinks so I’m pleased it has worked out.”

And so are his family, not least the kids.

It seems one at least could have a future in the diplomatic corps should she opt not to follow her dad’s sporting lead.

The defender said: “I told my daughter a long, long time ago that probably I’m coming back but she had to keep it quiet. She kept it quiet for the whole time.

“After a while you miss your kids. They are five and eight. My boy is starting school this summer so it is a good time to go back now.”