Jeff Astle, Laurie Cunningham, Cyrille Regis, Brendan Batson, Chris Brunt and Tony Brown, all legends of West Bromwich Albion. However, there have been some forgotten players and characters to play for the club.
From International icons to teenage prospects, here are seven players you (probably) forgot played for West Brom.
Embed from Getty ImagesChris Wood
Still scoring goals in the Premier League for Nottingham Forest, it was West Brom who gave Chris Wood his breakthrough in English football, signing him in 2009. Wood was recommended to the club by Academy coach Roger Wilkinson, who arranged a trial for him, from which he was signed.
Wood went on to make 27 appearances for the club and was part of the side promoted to the Premier League in 2010.
Since departing the club, Wood has gone on to score Premier League goals and is the all-time leading goalscorer for New Zealand with 45 and counting.
Embed from Getty ImagesGeorgios Samaras
Most known for his time at Celtic, it was the Baggies who Samaras joined after his time in Glasgow. Samaras was only able to make eight substitute appearances during his short tenure with the club, and his contract was terminated less than one year later.
During his playing career, he made 81 appearances for Greece, where he starred at the 2014 World Cup, and won four league titles at Celtic.
Embed from Getty ImagesJohn Hartson
Another player who joined the club from Celtic, and another player who was released from his contract. Hartson scored a brace on his debut for the club against Hull City, though he would only appear 21 times for West Brom.
Hartson is a three-time Welsh Footballer of the Year winner and won three Scottish Premier Leagues with Celtic.
Embed from Getty ImagesBorja Valero
Signing for a then club record fee of €7 million, Borja Valero joined the club as they were newly promoted to the Premier League under Tony Mowbray. Valero would appear 33 times for the Baggies that season, with 30 of those coming in the Premier League. As the club was relegated to the Championship, Valero stated that he intended to remain at the club in an attempt to help regain Premier League status. However, he was loaned back to Mallorca before joining Villereal permanently.
Coming through the ranks at Real Madrid, Valero went on to play for Fiorentina and Inter Milan, and earned one cap for Spain.
Embed from Getty ImagesTyler Roberts
Having signed for the club when he was seven years old, he made his debut for the club at just 17, coming on as a substitute against Liverpool in the Premier League. This was to be his only appearance for the club, as numerous loan spells followed before a permanent move to Leeds United in 2018.
Roberts has gone on to play 20 times for Wales and was part of the 2019-20 EFL Championship-winning team with Leeds.
Embed from Getty ImagesJefferson Montero
Associated most with his time at Swansea City, Ecuadorian winger Jefferson Montero had a brief loan spell at the Hawthorns in 2019. He only made four Championship appearances for the club, though he did manage to register a goal.
Bizarrely, after spells at clubs in his native Ecuador, Montero returned to English football, signing for North West Counties League Premier Division side FC St Helens.
Embed from Getty ImagesNicolas Anelka
Last but certainly not least, Euro 2000 winner Nicolas Anelka donned the shirts of Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, Juventus and France, while also turning out 12 times for the Baggies.
Although his time at the club was far from smooth sailing. Having scored his first goal for the club against West Ham, Anelka performed a quenelle, a hand gesture described by some critics as an inverted Nazi salute. The Frenchman was fined and given a five-game ban. In his 2020 documentary, Anelka detailed how the gesture was performed as a protest for then West Brom manager, Steve Clarke.
Following the incident, Anelka took to social media to announce that he was terminating his contract with West Brom and joined Mumbai City shortly after.
Embed from Getty ImagesWritten by Callum Pawley






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