Deep into the play-off final, Albion are awarded a penalty.

A little bundle of tricks accepts the responsibility and clinches promotion.

It happened with Leon Knight in 2004. It could happen with Anthony Knockaert in 2016.

The French right-winger bought by the Seagulls from Standard Liege earlier this month has no spot-kick scar after his part in one of the most infamous moments in the history of the end-of-season shoot-outs.

In 2013 in the semi-final second leg against Watford at Vicarage Road, with the aggregate scores level, Knockaert earned Leicester a penalty near the end of stoppage time.

He took it himself but it was saved by Manuel Almunia, who also kept out the follow-up.

The drama was not over. Watford went straight up the other end and scored, leaving Leicester and Knockaert to lick horrible wounds.

Would he volunteer in similar circumstances with Albion?

"Yeah, of course," he said. "I'm not scared. The story was just strange at that moment because afterwards they scored straight away on the counter-attack.

"That is the only reason it was crazy. Apart from that it was just a penalty miss. Every player can miss a penalty.

"With Standard in my first game this season we had a penalty and I scored into the top corner. It means nothing just because I missed a penalty."

He is right, anyone can miss a penalty.

Last weekend at Aston Villa, Riyad Mahrez, the Algerian star with whom Knockaert is still in touch after losing out to him at Leicester last season, had a tame spot-kick saved.

Even Knockaert's idol, Zinedine Zidane, missed one, although he had the excuse of slipping when the ball sailed over the bar in a pre-2006 World Cup friendly against China.

"For me he was the best player in the world, the best ever," said Knockaert. "He made me dream. I was like a child when I used to see him play. Now I am happy that he is the new manager of Real Madrid.

"He's a great guy with a big heart. He gave me pleasure when I watched him."

Knockaert was born in Roubaix, a few miles from Lille in Northern France.

"It's a nice place, a chilling place," he said. "It's a bit different to England. I prefer the English mentality.

"There is more respect I think here. People will respect everyone. That's what I like in England. It's not always like that in France.

"I have a big family, five brothers. I'm the second youngest. They all love football. I had one brother that could have become a footballer but for various reasons he didn't.

"When I was four-years-old I started to play. This is my passion, it is what I love to do every day. I did everything to become a professional.

"My family were behind me all the way when I was a teenager. They gave everything to me to succeed.

"They are so happy for me every time that I score. I try to do the most to make them happy.

"I am very happy to be here, doing want I wanted to do in my life. For me it's the best job in the world."

Knockaert, a former Lens junior, began his professional career with Guingamp before joining Leicester in 2012.

They both recovered from their penalty agony in the play-offs. Leicester went up as champions the following year under Nigel Pearson, with Knockaert a regular.

The emergence of Mahrez restricted his opportunities in the Premier League last season. He made only nine appearances, compared to 42 the previous year in the Championship, and left for Liege in the summer.

It was a tough call to make but Knockaert has no regrets now that Leicester are taking the top flight by storm under Claudio Ranieri.

"I would never regret something in my life," he said. "This is football. Maybe if I'd stayed this year Leicester wouldn't be good, you never know.

"I didn't know when I left the club it would be like it is now, otherwise I would never leave.

"I have big memories because I had a great time there. The only thing I am sad about is that I couldn't progress with them. Leicester will be in my heart all my life.

"They deserve it. They are a team that work very hard. The spirit is just something special. They have progressed together. They have brought in some new players, which is normal, but the balance is still the same from when they were in the Championship. This for me is the key when you want to have success."

Knockaert wants to repeat that success with Albion. His agent first made him aware of their interest in November.

He had no definitive plans to return to English football at the stage. He was popular in Belgium, where he scored five times in 20 League games, but when the call came he quit Liege's training camp in Spain to sign a three-and-a-half-year contract with the Seagulls for a fee considerably less than the £2 million plus widely reported.

Albion needed some right-side thrust after knee damage ruled Solly March out for the rest of the season, compounding less severe knee trouble sustained by the versatile Liam Rosenior.

Another of the casualties, French speaker Gaetan Bong, has helped Knockaert settle in. The 24-year-old made his debut in the disappointing defeat at Rotherham, then was denied a goal by a post in last Saturday's reviving victory at Blackburn Rovers.

Supporters at the Amex get their first look at Knockaert tomorrow against Huddersfield, opponents who will bring back fond memories.

He scored twice against the Yorkshiremen soon after signing for Leicester, the first from 35 yards, the second an impudent flick on the volley with the ball behind him.

They were his first League goals for the Foxes and three months later, in the reverse fixture, he scored twice more in a 6-1 win.

Albion fans will be hoping to witness more free-scoring Gallic flair in the coming weeks to enrich the promotion challenge.

"It was the right time for me to come here, to show again what I can do," Knockaert said. "The ambition of the club is exactly the same as I was used to at Leicester.

"It's a great challenge. I couldn't refuse a challenge like that. I will do everything to be back in the Premier League, with Brighton.

"The complex, the stadium, they are unbelievable. For me it is a Premier League club. They have to be in the Premier League."

Even if it takes a penalty from Knockaert to get there.