Craig Shakespeare has ended a nine-year stint on Albion’s coaching staff to join Leicester City.
The popular former player, nicknamed Shakey, has been tempted away to work as assistant manager to another former Baggies coach, Nigel Pearson, at the League One club.
The decision brings to an end a strong bond between Shakespeare and the Baggies, which has seen the 44-year-old coach survive three management changes.
He re-joined Albion as a recruitment officer in 1999 before moving on to become youth team coach under then-manager Gary Megson and subsequently reserve team boss.
Albion manager Tony Mowbray acknowledged that Shakespeare had played a key role in last season’s Championship title triumph.
He said: “We are sorry to see Craig leave. He contributed greatly to our success last season but we didn’t want to stand in his way.
“I think he was genuinely torn over what to do because of the Premier League challenge we have here.
“While we are disappointed he is going, we wish him all the best in his new venture.”
Shakespeare said: “It’s all happened fairly quickly but it’s been a hard decision.
“It’s been hard because of my respect and my high-regard for Tony as a manager and as a person.
“I have made this decision for the sake of my own career and hopefully it will turn out to be a good one.
“I’ve got very, very fond memories of West Brom and I’ve had nothing but good wishes from people.”
36 Comments
I think all baggies fans will join me in saying good luck shacky!!!
Good Luck SHAKEY many thanks for your all your hard work and service to our club.I will be having a bet on Leicester to win the division.
now hes at leicester bet wilfs go after him aye boing boing
terry - you could make an enquiry, think you’ve got him and then watch as he joins a big club HOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWLLLLLLLLL
A lot of ‘goings’
But not many ‘comings’
Thought you would be attracting them in now your a ‘BIG CLUB’
Never mind, I’m sure you will do really well anyway with the same team you had in the championship even though you conceded 55 and scored only 88 in a very average season with very average teams in front of you!
You won’t have the added pleasure of beating us either. That could be phsycologically damaging to your fan base as it seems to be the only important game of the season to you?
Good look to you all!
5: your knowledge is so insightfull…thankyou for filling us all in.
Now I’ll wish Shakey all the best in his future, been part of Albion for a long while as a player and various coaching roles.
5. We really should have signed more players by now, that transfer window that opens in four days time shouldn’t have stopped us.
“and scored only 88″. Well we would have scored more, but we’re only allowed to play you twice. Still, top scorers in all four divisions will have to do.
wolves 1
does the 1 stand for:
1)Your brain cells
2)Amount of Wolves fans who dont boo
3)Your amount of friends
4)Your age
5)Your mental age
6)The amount of points you took of us as we were winning that average league
Dont reply it will take you to long to come up with something and ive got a meeting next Thursday!!!
Good luck Shakey! Thanks for everything (and the brilliant penalty at Springfield Park all those years ago ;-).
No.5 Join the dots in your brain.
Once again Wolves fans’ reputations have been tarnished by the moronic minority. Wolves 1, I’ve never heard such utter dross in all my life.
Instead of mommy and daddy letting you use the computer, how about entertaining yourself with something a little more appropriate for your (mental) age group. Colouring book perhaps?
Muppet.
Back to the sensible stuff… good luck Shakey. Even though I detest that cretin Pearson, I hope Leicester do well for the Shakemeister. (worst nickname ever?! lol)
good luck shakey,
7) You scored 1 in 2 games against us, that would be 23 in 46 games. Not very intelligent are you.
WOW!
Its the first time I’ve been fishing on this side!
Managed five out of six!
What fun!!
I think some of the comments on here are ludicous. Im a wolves fan as you know and im sure all albion fans were hoping to have had some new signings by now however the transfer window does not close until august so lets wait till it closes to make a judgement on Jeremy Peace and West Broms transfer dealings.
Redge999
And you scored 0 in two games against us, and that makes sweet fa in 46 games!!
There are lies, damn lies, and statistics.
Disraeli.
well worked out bomber, i wasnt spouting off with rubbish statistics, we were inferior and still are, i can cope with that.
whens our new top on sale??? in going on holiday in aug and want it to take it away with me
regards
I think you lot were very ‘over the top’ with Wolves1 (no 5) His comments were quite reasonable and far less aggressive than some of you Tesco fans when you rant about the Molineux marvels. I think he was genuine in wishing you well - and especially because you won’t take points from us - for a while at least.
However what he said about players ‘in’ must be worrying you. Surely you need to strenghen quickly because the new players will need time to gel. I expected quite a few signings by now and I hope you lot are not going to blow it like we did a few years ago by not paying a realistic price for good players.
I think 88 goals in any league is pretty good but the 55 against needs very urgent attention. The top ten teams in the premier will be licking their lips when they see that statistic….
best of luck shakey
wolves go away cos ul never c us again
18- E11, it’s a minor concern, but 12 months ago I seem to remember us having sold Kamara and Koumas at this point, with a mass exodus predicted, and we ended up signing a dozen players and getting promoted, so there’s certainly no panic.
Wolves No.1 probably got the reaction he did because he’s about the 900th Wolves fan to post a message on these boards since the end of the season, tainted with envy and spite, harping on about our lack of signings……..in June, which is all starting to get a bit boring.
Good luck to Craig Shakespeare, his kid is an Albion fan and he’s been a good servant. Ohhh Shakey Shakey, Shakey Shakey Shakey Shakey Shakespeare!!
12.. But Redge999 that 1 in 2 games equated to 4 points that seems good enough to me!.
E11 Wolf I slightly agree his comments did not seem that bad apart from him actually thinking our season was just about beating yourselves. When will kids like this learn its about the bigger picture of getting promoted .
7. was that all those goals as in 1 goal in two games against us.
19. we know we will never see you again, because we will be establishing ourselves in the prem while you are stuck in the championship.
the futures bright the futures Gold and Black.
At least i bite with a little humour, to everyone have a good weekend!!!!
michael is our jester, michael is our jester, la la la la la!!!!
22 u wont b in the prem whilst mccarthy urs manager hahaha
19 - That makes no sense at all….did you miss out on last season?!
the thread is about graig shakey not us beating the dingles, we are better then them in the prem and we slaughtered them in the past, lets say thank you to graig andleave the dingles to live in a dream world we call reality
good luck shakey all the best
I think it’s fun you clampets slagging off dingles - livens up the day really
All the best shakey, remember watching you play & you weren’t bad & if moanbury is saying thanks you must have done a good job for the boggies, hope it all goes well for you at leicester & you manage to survive longer than a lot of Mandaric’s staff
Good luck Shakey,I hope it works out for you mate
17, Do you want to take your new top away on holiday with you to keep the flies off you breakfast?
Why does he want to drop down to the championship.
The Albion are in the PREM but everyone seems to
wanna jump ship.
And I get worried when we start getting linked
to the likes of MILAN CHEATING BAROS,and flaming
STEPHEN CLEMENCE.
FOR CHRIST SAKE PEACE PULL YOUR FINGER OUT!!!!!!
And maybe ive answered my own question!!!!!!!!
LACK OF AMBITION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Best of luck shakey, a great servant to the Albion and will be missed.
Comment no. 5, I think the other 23 victories were quite important, how many did you manage??
As you lot seem to be still very bitter, it would appear that you seem to find the wolves/albion fixture important too. Even though he’s left, I still love Gera just for scoring THAT goal, still grates doesn’t it!!
I’d save all your energies for sewing those ‘you’ve let us down again banners’after another mediocre season at the custard bowl!!
BOING BOING!!!!
Good Luck Mate–You are going to be in need of it–Crazy Dave
Friends,romans,baggies…lend me your ears ,I come to bury shakespear not to praise him.Anyway enpugh of that,well he has gone to a bigger club baggie boys,I suppose it was “to go or not to go?” that is the question and he left….Bad luck