Martin Montoya is relishing the tradition of Christmas football.

Especially as he has now shown, on a very English footballing day, the side of his game which made him a hit in Spain.

Montoya’s first Christmas match of an 11-year career saw him help Albion to a 1-1 draw against Arsenal which he, among others, thought could have been even better.

Like most Spanish football enthusiasts, Montoya knows all about “el Boxing Day” and has followed from afar.

So to be in the thick of it was something special.

Montoya is known as an attacking right-back in Spain.

But we haven’t seen so much of it here, even though he has been quite tidy in possession.

It’s a bit easier to be an attacking full-back when you are playing for Barcelona or even Valencia than when you are often on the back foot with Albion in the Premier League.

But the Catalan enjoyed his Boxing Day evening under the lights at the Amex and will look forward to the next test.

He told The Argus: “I’ve never played so many games in Christmas but it’s very good, it’s an incredible experience. I’m happy.

“Whenever we have breaks in Spain, I always watch football.

“With England being the only country still playing, I’d always follow the matches on Boxing Day.

“I felt really comfortable. We didn’t have much possession of the ball, they had more, but, when we got it, I enjoyed getting out.

“I love going forward, getting involved in counter attacks, playing up the pitch, and I felt very comfortable doing that.

“Maybe you haven’t seen that from me here.

“There are matches when we have been pressed back and couldn’t get out so much.

“But I’m a player who loves to get forward and show my qualities.”

Montoya was among the defenders caused problems by the movement of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, coupled with some clever service from deep, in the first half.

But he felt Albion could have completed the comeback once Jurgen Locadia had brought them level.

He said: “It was a good result against a very good team like Arsenal but maybe we could have won.

“We could have taken three points because, especially in the second half, we had more chances than them, good opportunities.

“But we’re happy. The important thing is to keep picking up points, go match to match.”

Next for Montoya and Albion comes an Everton side with a strong Barcelona connection in Lucas Digne, Yerry Mina and on-loan Andre Gomes, pictured inset.

But Montoya has not partnered any of them – even Gomes, who was also at Valencia. He said: “Andre Gomes left for Barcelona when I arrived at Valencia.

“All the games we’ve got now are going to be difficult but we’ll keep trying to keep picking up points.

“We are strong at home and we have got to keep it that way in front of this support at the Amex.”

Montoya knows now, more than at any other time of the year, eyes back in Spain will be on him.

LaLiga Santander players do not have a massive break in fixtures.

Last year for example, Montoya played on December 23 and returned to action on January 3. But it’s a break all the same.

Could that change? The Belgian league also play on December 26 and this year Serie A in Italy joined the party.

That is officially the St Stephen’s Day round of fixtures but the Italian media widely used the term ’Serie A boxing day’.

The Italians might not all want to play on December 26 but they have seen how profitable it is in England and fancy a bit themselves. Could Spain follow suit?

Montoya said: “I don’t know if it would ever come to Spain.

“Over there, we always talk a lot about players having holidays, having a rest and being able to spend time at home with their families.

“I think it would be hard to have Boxing Day football in Spain but who knows? Anything can happen.”