Promotion hero and new father Chris Brunt is looking to end his perfect week with another high tomorrow by clinching a title-winner’s medal with Albion.
The Northern Ireland international became a father for the first time less than three days after scoring the equalising goal on Monday that took the Baggies back to the Premier League.
And he is now looking to cap a special period in his life by collecting a prize he can show his new baby son in years to come. “It’s been a good week,” he said.
“I doubt I’ll have many better weeks that this one.
“Monday night was brilliant and then on Wednesday and all through the early hours of Thursday was even better. It’s been a great week for us at home.
“Scoring the goal which helped us cross the line was brilliant. It was probably the only way we were going to score because Richard Wright was brilliant.
“He got them their point really. Fortunately for me I got a decent first touch with my right foot and just concentrated on hitting it.”
Brunt struck the promotion-winning goal on Monday evening, celebrated with his team mates on Tuesday then took girlfriend Cathy to hospital the following day when she went into labour.
Their son, who looks likely to be named Charlie, was born moments after midnight on Thursday.
“We went out on Tuesday for a few drinks and had a good laugh,” he said. “I think we deserved it and it hit home really on Tuesday night when we were all together and it sank in why we were all there.
“Mind you I was home nice and early because I knew I’d be in hospital all day on Wednesday so I had to be sensible.
“It’s my first baby so it was a big thing. We’re still toying with a couple of names. Maybe Charlie - but we’re not 100 per cent.”
Now Brunt is looking to seize the moment by helping Albion claim top spot.
“We’ve come this far this season and it would be wrong for us to take our foot off the gas,” he said.
“It would be great to go up as Champions. A lot of players go through a career without a medal so to get a Championship title medal would be a massive achievement for everyone.
“If we hadn’t got the point on Monday it might have been a different kettle of fish tomorrow but the pressure being off will help us.
“We will have the freedom to express ourselves and play good attacking football.
“Knowing that it’s not the end of the world if we don’t win will help us.
“It’s important for the fans to enjoy it. They’ve paid their hard-earned money all season to support us so we know we have to perform for 90 minutes to try to win the league.”
And Brunt is confident the Baggies can make a splash in the top flight next season but he is warning that the first season will be tough. “The aim is to stay in the Premier League,” he said.
“We want to stay there and anywhere but the bottom three will do but we know that if we do well then there’s no reason why we can’t finish as high as Reading did in their first year. Obviously that would be great.
“We feel we have the quality to do that and the style of football will be suited but it’s all very well me saying it when I’ve never been there before but we have got some lads who have been there and know what it’s about.
“Maybe they can help the rest of us through it.”
Meanwhile, QPR captain Gareth Ainsworth has tipped Albion as the Championship side with the best chance of staying in the Premier League.
But he winger says he has no idea whether Tony Mowbray’s side will clinch the title tomorrow. In his internet blog, Ainsworth said: “This season’s Championship has been the tightest I have played in.
“When we secured safety a couple of weeks ago I think we were the only team that could not go up or down. The fact that several teams face the possibility of relegation with 52 or 53 points is incredible.
“Then there is the possibility of a team making the play-offs with a total in the sixties, which is something nobody would have thought at the start of the season.
“I’m glad that West Brom are up there because they are a pure football team but then again I’m glad that the likes of Stoke, Hull and Watford are up there with their organisation, determination and desire.
“In my opinion the Baggies have the best chance of surviving in the Premier League because you do need to play more football in the top flight.
“I think West Brom and Stoke will go up automatically but it is difficult to say who will be champions. It will be a totally different game to the 5-1 defeat we suffered at the Hawthorns.”
4 Comments
Time to finish the job now boys. We don’t want an anti-climax against QPR and players not caring because the job is already done.
I hope that Hull clinch the second automatic promotion spot, what a turnaround it’s been for them and what a great job Phil Brown has done for them (I thinks that’s his name isn’t it lol!)
I think we have a good chance of surviving in the premiership next season, but we must not kid ourselves that we can realistically aim for mid table, we will be in a relegation scrap next year for sure, but I think we have a much better chance then we have previously in the premiership.
It’s crucial that we make every effort to keep Gera and Phillips. Gera, I accept will be difficult to hold on to if a top club come knocking, but if Phillips goes, we will only have ourselves to blame. We will need major investment in the summer if we are to have any chance of surviving in the premiership.
We certainly need a defender or too and another striker.
Wolves I think will make the play-offs, whether they can win them though is a different matter. I think it will be either Stoke or Hull up through the play offs.
Birmingham now have a job on their hands to survive as it’s out of their hands. They’ve been a bit guilty of taking their eyes of the ball in recent weeks, and fulham have come up on the rails and overtaken them, I fear it’s the dreaded drop for blues now.
Finally, I know this has nothing to do with the midlands clubs but, what a magnificent performance from Frank Lampard in the week, especially after losing his mum, just shows he has bottle. Makes for a humdinger of a final day in the premiership next week.
BOING BOING BAGGIES BAGGIES!!!
Three points tomorrow against QPR and we are champions,brunt to score again
come on you baggies,BOING BOING
Congratulations on the birth of your new little Baggie Chris, welcome to the crappy nappy club! Another one today please!