In retrospect, West Brom should never have released these five ex-academy players.
West Bromwich Albion have produced a fair share of talent over the years.
West Bromwich Albion have had success developing excellent young players through their academy, with players such as Dara O’Shea and Alex Palmer making big contributions to the team.
Not every academy player is able to break into the first team at West Brom, but many do. After departing the Hawthorns, Chris Wood, for example, went on to have a successful Premier League career.
Former West Brom players such as Ashley Williams, Ugo Ehiogu, and Steve Bull earned success and legend status at other teams, demonstrating that there are opportunities for players to thrive even if they do not make it at their first club.
West Brom have seen some previous academy prospects flourish elsewhere, with some even joining rivals.
West Brom have recently used their academy owing to budgetary constraints, forcing Carlos Corberán to get inventive as the Baggies aim to make a play-off push.
The sale of Dara O’Shea to Burnley reaffirmed the importance of the academy and young talent, with the Irish defender joining the club at the age of 16 and bringing in considerable revenue for the club.
Back at the Hawthorns, Alex Palmer has established himself as the go-to goalkeeper, with fellow academy product Josh Griffiths vying for the top job. This season has also included Tom Fellows, Jovan Malcolm, Ethan Ingram, and Caleb Taylor.
The latter has made headlines following a standout season with Cheltenham Town last season.
However, the truth of youth football is that not every youngster makes the cut in a highly competitive market. That does not mean that every player’s career is over. Many, though, seek greener pastures elsewhere, beginning their football careers and, in some cases, succeeding in a new environment.
As a young player in the early 2010s, Wood was a victim of Albion’s attacking depth and quality.
Wood was lured into the Albion program after impressing in his home country of New Zealand. He made his Premier League debut against Portsmouth in a 2-2 draw in the 2008/09 season.
After being relegated that season, the youthful attacker went on to make 16 Championship appearances, scoring once and providing four assists as West Brom secured an instant return to the Premier League.
However, the likes of Peter Odemwingie, Marc-Antoine Fortuné, and Shane Long stopped him from establishing himself as a first-team regular in the Premier League, instead sending him on six loan spells. He scored almost 30 league goals in his career.
Before joining Leicester City on a permanent basis in 2013, he played for Brighton, Millwall, and Birmingham City.
The former Barnsley man scored 13 Championship goals in two seasons as the Foxes were promoted to the Premier League, although his playing time was once again curtailed due to a move to Leeds United.
The striker had his most productive tenure in Yorkshire, scoring 40 goals in two seasons, 27 of which came in Leeds’ play-off campaign in 2016/17 before his big chance at the Premier League came with Burnley.He went on to become a real threat to top-flight defenders for the Clarets, scoring in double digits in four consecutive seasons before moving to Newcastle United and his current side Nottingham Forest.
The local midfielder and boyhood supporter made his Premier League debut in 2016 and showed promising indications in subsequent cameos, netting his first goal under Gary Megson in front of a joyous Hawthorns crowd the following year.
Relegation in 2018 signaled a chance for the young midfielder to get more regular game time, but he only played 12 times in the Championship before spending the next season on loan at Charlton Athletic.
The 25-year-old made just three more league appearances for the club after their promotion to the Premier League before joining Queens Park Rangers on a loan deal that was made permanent in 2020.
The local midfielder and boyhood fan made his Premier League debut in 2016 and showed good signs in subsequent cameos before scoring his maiden goal under Gary Megson in front of a jubilant Hawthorns crowd the following year.
Relegation in 2018 provided an opportunity for the young midfielder to gain more regular game time, but he only appeared in 12 Championship games before spending the next season on loan at Charlton Athletic.
After the club’s elevation to the Premier League, the 25-year-old made just three more league appearances before joining Queens Park Rangers on a loan transfer that was made permanent in 2020.
Williams struggled at West Brom after being informed as a teenager that he was “too small” to make the team.Following a brief time at Hednesford Town, the Wolverhampton-born defender worked his way back up the footballing ladder, first with Stockport County and then Swansea City.
With only four league appearances in the second half of the season, he helped the Swans win League One and return to the second division.
During his nine seasons with Swansea, Williams quickly established himself as a staple in the backline before becoming club captain. With almost 350 appearances for the club, the Welsh international helped his side gain promotion to the Premier League in 2011 before winning the league title the following year.
Ehiogu made his professional debut for West Brom in 1989 before being quickly signed by rivals Aston Villa.The defender made almost 200 appearances for the Second City club, winning the League Cup in 1996 after appearing in 36 league games that season.
The former England international stayed in the top division with Middlesbrough in the 2000/01 season, playing more than 100 Premier League games on Teesside before making professional moves to Leeds United, Sheffield United, and Rangers.
Bull, a Wolverhampton icon, began his professional career with West Bromwich Albion.
The West Midlands-born attacker scored twice in the blue and white stripes before joining rivals Wolves in the
Fourth Division.
Bull became a regular striker for the old gold and black, driving the assault as Wolves attempted to rise back up the divisions.
Despite playing outside of the top flight, he went on to represent his country 13 times, scoring 306 goals at club level, including 18 hat-tricks.
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