Over the past 20 years, Albion have either had experience of fighting against some of the biggest names in the Premier League or competing at the top end of the Championship, with many of these types of signings helping them achieve this feat.
One terrific bit of business the Baggies conducted was the arrival of central defender Gareth McAuley.
The Northern Ireland international linked up at The Hawthorns on a free transfer from Ipswich Town, with many of the West Brom faithful at the time questioning whether it was the right move, particularly as Albion were pretty new into their top-flight stint.
But the defender would improve as his career went on, being an ever-present figure in the Premier League, regularly involved in top-flight action up until the age of 38.
Particularly prominent under Tony Pulis, not many could have imagined the impact McAuley would have on Albion having such a long Premier League stay, with him contributing to the club possessing such a watertight defense under multiple managers.
There wouldn’t have been many West Brom fans overly excited about the arrival of Gareth McAuley, with the then 31-year-old having an established career within the EFL pyramid, but not quite good enough for the top-flight step-up.
But the defender surprised by taking to Premier League life with ease, improving season-upon-season to be such a valued and imperative player to Albion’s success.
Originally joining under Roy Hodgson, McAuley was a dependable and no-nonsense central defender, with his ability to get on the end of dead-ball deliveries proving a vital weapon for the Baggies during his time with the club.
A towering figure and natural leader in the backline, the former Rangers man was a prominent figure under different regimes, maintaining solid performances under the likes of Pepe Mel and Alan Irvine as Albion suffered some low points in those periods but just about managed to retain their Premier League status.
But when Tony Pulis came into replace Irvine at the beginning of 2015, McAuley’s stock would rise even further, with the central defender such a focal point from set pieces and netting six times in the 2016/17 season.
Forming an integral partnership with Jonny Evans at the heart of the backline, McAuley optimised Pulis’s style of play, a centre-back who would kick and head anything that came his way, while having a threat in both boxes that turned him into such a well-rounded Premier League defender.
Despite overachieving massively at The Hawthorns and creating some wonderful memories with the West Brom supporters, there will be disappointment at how his Albion career came to an end.
With the Baggies a mess both on and off the pitch in 2017, McAuley had lost his place under all of Tony Pulis, Alan Pardew and Darren Moore following the arrival of Egyptian defender Ahmed Hegazi, featuring just nine times as West Brom returned to the second tier.
It may have been a mistake to leave such an experienced defender at that level out of the squad, and we’ll never know whether more regular appearances from McAuley may have turned around the Baggies’ fortunes.
West Brom could only dream of having £200k ace in their side right now
With McAuley’s career at The Hawthorns on the decline, an argument could also have been made that West Brom should have parted ways the season prior and received a sizeable profit from such a small investment, with his contributions to the team not warranting an eventual exit on a free transfer.
Despite the sour ending, the 6’5′ defender was a terrific buy from the recruitment team, fitting into the mold of the club brilliantly and always being there when called upon.
Albion certainly got the best out of McAuley, with the defender experiencing the best days of his career the older he became, and he will always be remembered fondly at The Hawthorns for his efforts.
Be the first to comment