Pascal Gross thought he might have bitten off more than he could chew eight days into his Premier League career.

Two games in and he was struggling with the demands of his new surroundings.

That said, Manchester City at home and Leicester City away – 15 months on from their sensational title success – was quite a baptism to Prem life for Albion.

Almost seven years on, and 258 games later, he is Albion player of the season for a second time.

And this one was arguably more impressive than his first such accolade in that debut year of 2017-18.

Gross, who initially signed a four-year contract, is coming to the end of his best season with the club.

The £3 million transfer fee paid to Ingolstadt is in Albion club legend with the £1,000 and set of tracksuits which secured Gary Hart from Stansted.

Like Lewis Dunk, one wondered whether his effort would be taken for granted and overlooked in the voting for individual honours.

Six of the previous eight winners, including Gross himself, had won the prize in their first full seasons playing for the club (Dunk and Shane Duffy being the exceptions).

Not so. Players’ player and fans’ player of the season were added to the prize he won back in 2017-18, when he was fresh and new to the Prem and playing as No.10 behind Glenn Murray.

The man from Mannheim is a symbol of Albion in the Prem era along with Brighton’s Dunk and Hailsham’s Solly March.

Asked whether he thought he might be here for quite so long when he first arrived, Gross told The Argus: “No. I thought it was a big challenge, an experience.

“I was hoping I would do well but you never know how well you can do.

“After my first couple of games I thought it might be over quite quickly, the way I performed.

“But then I stepped up a little bit and got used to the levels of the Premier League and tried my best.”

It was after a 2-0 defeat at Leicester, one of the toughest games on the calendar at that time, that Gross realised he needed to change his game.

Others have failed to do that. His mate Markus Suttner recently told The Argus he found the Prem did not suit him.

Mahmoud Dahoud did not get up to speed and Deniz Undav took some time.

Gross, though, has found a home from home.

He said: “I know where I have come from. My dad (former professional player and coach Stephan Gross) teaches me a lot. He still does and I am thankful for that.

“I started my own family. My kids were born here.

“We are happy. We have a nice family life.

“They support me. It is ideal for me. I have a beautiful family and can do what I love all my life, playing football.

“I can play it at the highest level at the moment and I enjoy it every day when I go to training.

“Now, with our coach, we are very lucky to have him. Everyone knows that.”

Gross won that first player of the year in a season which brought him eight goals and seven assists.

Chris Hughton had tweaked their 4-4-2 of the Championship to a 4-4-1-1 for the big league and he slotted in behind Murray or Tomer Hemed.

His first shift of position came leading up to Christmas in his second season when Hughton changed to a 4-3-3.

When Albion slid perilously close to the relegation places and went seven games without a goal, it was Gross who halted the drought with an opportunist header in front of the North Stand against Newcastle.

That was why it felt fitting he ended the barren run last Sunday – until VAR ruled otherwise.

If we are talking about club legends, he has a Gerry Ryan-like knack of scoring important or momentous goals.

The first for Albion in the Prem, the first in Europe.

The winner to secure safety against Manchester United and the double which earned their first win at Old Trafford.

The shot which rubber-stamped Europa qualification against Southampton.

Since the arrival of Graham Potter, his tactical versatility and sound touch on the ball have been used in various areas.

He has given the right-back or wing-back role his own interpretation or operated in different midfield roles.

Gross can be furthest man forward leading the press.

He sees similarities with his own trajectory and that of Dunk.

“Annoying” and “moaner” were two words Dunk used to describe his German colleague on a video for the awards night.

The skipper has a robust sense of humour and Gross appears to both get it and enjoy it.

He said: “I think we have a similar story when you look back.

“We came to the Prem at the same time.

“We both grew with the club, we both got our international appearance very late and we fight nearly every three days or seven days together on the pitch.

“We are two players there together on the pitch so there is a special connection.”

And then there is the new adventure – that of European football with the Seagulls.

It was a sultry early October night in Marseille, deep below the stands of Stade Velodrome, when Gross was asked about the Albion fans who had travelled to pack the away section.

That was by BBC Sussex’s Johnny Cantor.

The way Gross initially paused and shook his head in wonderment did not make great radio.

But he then put into words his admiration at how many had gone that far for the game.

Speaking on awards night, he said: “When you go away, you see special support. I am proud walking out in Europe and seeing our section is already full.”