West Bromwich Albion are a club that has enjoyed success in recent months, with Carlos Corberan’s leadership helping drag them from a potential Championship relegation battle to pushing for promotion.
It has been a tumultuous season, but one which now seems poised to bear fruit for a fanbase that has suffered in recent years.
One of the few shining lights of those campaigns was the emergence of academy graduate Taylor Gardner-Hickman, who reminded everybody that the Baggies still boasted a top-class youth system that was brimming with talent.
With the young midfielder having paved his way into the first team, it could provide a foundation for more local talent to burst onto the scene, following in his footsteps.
Should that be the case, Jamie Andrews will surely be due a call-up soon.
Could Jamie Andrews be West Brom’s next Chris Brunt?
A versatile midfielder with the ability to play out wide, it is hard not to draw similarities between him and legendary figure Chris Brunt.
Would you give Jamie Andrews a start?
The northern Irish stalwart featured 421 times for the Midlands outfit, cementing himself as a steely yet creative asset who would also record 49 goals and 89 assists across that period.
He revelled in a tough tackle, but with his wicked left foot always boasted the capability to deliver with precision.
Now, with two goals and six assists in just nine Premier League 2 games this season, it appears that the 20-year-old dynamo could be set to emulate his work.
This came after his half a season loan spell with Yeovil Town, where he made just eight appearances in what will have offered him vital experience in senior football to go with his one first-team appearance for his parent club.
It has been a year where the youngster has truly outlined himself as a creative leader for the U23s team, and surely if anyone is coming up on Corberan’s radar it is him.
Andrews even admitted at the start of the season that he was preparing to “take the next step“, and has since gone on to shine, even captaining his team too; a feat which his potential predecessor earned in the senior side for over three years.
With the success West Brom enjoyed by employing a classy yet workmanlike asset such as Brunt, finding his replacement could be imperative not only in securing promotion but ensuring their continued presence in the Premier League, just like when the 38-year-old used to grace the Hawthorns turf.
