He has had more comebacks than George Foreman and Evander Holyfield put together and now he is at it again.

Throughout his Albion career Kerry Mayo has been down on the canvas, so to speak, more often than he cares to remember but he always gets back up, ready to fight on.

The pattern has continued now that Matt Richards, the latest in a long line of defensive rivals to Mayo, is injured.

The hamstring tear suffered by the on-loan Ipswich left-back in the home victory against Doncaster last weekend opened the door for Mayo to regain his place once more.

Mayo said: "It's a fantastic feeling. It's unfortunate Matty Richards has sustained an injury and I wish him a speedy recovery but it's a chance for me to hopefully get a good run of games now.

"Over the last 12 years that's all I've had, people competing for my place, but that is healthy and keeps you at the top of your game."

The season after his benefit year has been largely forgettable for Mayo. His opportunities have been severely restricted since he was partly blamed for the opening day defeat at Crewe.

He has had to sit and suffer. He might be used to it by now but that does not make rejection any easier to deal with away from the matey environment of the training ground.

Mayo admitted: "I have come in to the training ground upbeat and buzzing, having a laugh and a joke with the boys and keeping myself involved, but away from the training ground it has been very hard.

"Away from football my head has been down but it has been something out of my control, no matter how well I feel I have been playing in the reserves or how good my attitude has been.

"You are putting in performances and you feel they are not rewarded but it's not because of that, it is because there is healthy competition.

"There are a lot of people worse off than me in the world and that picks me up. I'm still getting paid but that is not to say I am going in just to pick up my money. I want to be playing in every game - that is why I get down away from football."

That kind of perspective comes with experience.

Mayo recently made his 400th appearance for Albion - his only club - as a late substitute against Gillingham at Withdean.

He added: "For me personally that is a massive achievement. I am over the moon with that.

"It's quite touching really that it came against Gillingham, with the history I've got with the club with regards to the last game at Hereford and groundsharing at Gillingham.

"We were winning 4-2 and they only had nine men. There was no reason for me to come on, other than I was just getting on the gaffer's nerves really, badgering him!

"He was well aware that I needed one more game but he did well in putting me on. Now I have got a chance to go on another little run of games."

Beginning with back-to-back trips to Nottingham Forest and Leeds which, even for an old pro like Mayo, will really get the adrenalin flowing.

He said: "They are massive teams but I think that is probably when we are at our best, playing at decent stadiums in front of a big crowd with a fantastic atmosphere. I am sure we will rise to that."