Elliott Bennett has been toughened up by the devastating injury setback which interrupted his Premier League progress.
The popular winger launches his second spell with Albion against Wigan at the Amex tonight better equipped to cope with lows as well as highs.
Bennett's career was rising sharply upwards after helping Albion to the League One title four seasons ago.
He made more than 30 appearances in his first season in the Premier League with Norwich, including a winning goal at Spurs.
He played over half the matches in 2012-13 too before an unusual injury blow against Everton on the opening day last season at Carrow Road destroyed his momentum.
Bennett played the whole game before discovering he had suffered cruciate knee ligament damage, which ruled him out until relegated Norwich's final game in the top flight at Arsenal.
Bennett, 25, told The Argus: "I jumped over a tackle from one of the Everton players, landed, thought 'ooh' but carried on. I thought I had just jarred my knee a little bit.
"Then that night I was at home with my family and the knee was killing me so I went in the next day, had a scan and then found out I had done my cruciate ligaments.
"I was devastated. It came at a horrible time and it's never nice to be injured. To be out for such a long time was gutting but I had to just get over it and get on with it.
"Most players go through maybe not that injury but a kind of long-term injury but up until that point I'd been really lucky.
"I've just tried to use it as a positive really, work on different aspects in the gym. Mentally it has toughened me up, definitely."
As well as his Premier League experience with Norwich, Bennett played in League One for Crewe and League Two for Bury before his first spell with Albion.
He had never played in the Championship until Norwich's first day defeat in August at Wolves, the club where he started his career.
Tonight's clash against fellow strugglers Wigan will be only his sixth appearance at the level after rejoining Albion on a month's loan.
Bennett said: "I think it's a lot more competitive, that's for sure, than the Premier League. You've got the so-called bigger teams in the Premier League that tend to dwarf the smaller clubs in terms of their budget and everything that goes with that.
"I think in the Championship it's really competitive. You could pick ten, 12 teams that could potentially get promoted for three spots which shows how close the competition is really.
"I played in the first game of the season for Norwich and that was my first Championship appearance. It wasn't an easy place to go. They had just got promoted and the place was rocking.
"It's a tough league but I'm relishing the opportunity to play in more games in the Championship and hopefully I can have a positive impact."
Boss Sami Hyypia believes that has already happened after his first meeting and training session with Bennett on board on Sunday.
Hyypia said: "I think Elliott is a good character. I don't know him very well but already he has showed me he is inside the group, making jokes and having banter with the players.
"I think that's a good sign, that he is a positive player, a positive person, and with his skill and dynamics and workrate he can bring those kind of things to the team."
Original article
The popular winger launches his second spell with Albion against Wigan at the Amex tonight better equipped to cope with lows as well as highs.
Bennett's career was rising sharply upwards after helping Albion to the League One title four seasons ago.
He made more than 30 appearances in his first season in the Premier League with Norwich, including a winning goal at Spurs.
He played over half the matches in 2012-13 too before an unusual injury blow against Everton on the opening day last season at Carrow Road destroyed his momentum.
Bennett played the whole game before discovering he had suffered cruciate knee ligament damage, which ruled him out until relegated Norwich's final game in the top flight at Arsenal.
Bennett, 25, told The Argus: "I jumped over a tackle from one of the Everton players, landed, thought 'ooh' but carried on. I thought I had just jarred my knee a little bit.
"Then that night I was at home with my family and the knee was killing me so I went in the next day, had a scan and then found out I had done my cruciate ligaments.
"I was devastated. It came at a horrible time and it's never nice to be injured. To be out for such a long time was gutting but I had to just get over it and get on with it.
"Most players go through maybe not that injury but a kind of long-term injury but up until that point I'd been really lucky.
"I've just tried to use it as a positive really, work on different aspects in the gym. Mentally it has toughened me up, definitely."
As well as his Premier League experience with Norwich, Bennett played in League One for Crewe and League Two for Bury before his first spell with Albion.
He had never played in the Championship until Norwich's first day defeat in August at Wolves, the club where he started his career.
Tonight's clash against fellow strugglers Wigan will be only his sixth appearance at the level after rejoining Albion on a month's loan.
Bennett said: "I think it's a lot more competitive, that's for sure, than the Premier League. You've got the so-called bigger teams in the Premier League that tend to dwarf the smaller clubs in terms of their budget and everything that goes with that.
"I think in the Championship it's really competitive. You could pick ten, 12 teams that could potentially get promoted for three spots which shows how close the competition is really.
"I played in the first game of the season for Norwich and that was my first Championship appearance. It wasn't an easy place to go. They had just got promoted and the place was rocking.
"It's a tough league but I'm relishing the opportunity to play in more games in the Championship and hopefully I can have a positive impact."
Boss Sami Hyypia believes that has already happened after his first meeting and training session with Bennett on board on Sunday.
Hyypia said: "I think Elliott is a good character. I don't know him very well but already he has showed me he is inside the group, making jokes and having banter with the players.
"I think that's a good sign, that he is a positive player, a positive person, and with his skill and dynamics and workrate he can bring those kind of things to the team."
Original article