Sporting Star’s Albion correspondent Neil Whitehouse on his favourite Hawthorns ‘old pros’.

Whilst we wait for the latest lull in domestic action to pass, most of the news to emerge from clubs in the top two divisions is the hope that players return from international duty unscathed and ready for a swift return to first team duty.

The Baggies are no different, of course, but we have had the added bonus of reports that Ishmael Miller is ready to step up his training schedule as he battles back from his long-term injury.

He really will be a huge addition to the squad when he is fit and his pace and power should prove even more useful now that we get the ball forward more quickly.

But the most intriguing news to surface during this last week is our tentative enquiry about the availability of Sol Campbell.

I wonder how serious we are about trying to bring him in. It would appear his swift departure from Notts County has resulted in a complicated situation about whether he can play for anyone prior to January.

His agent seems to think it can be resolved to allow an earlier resumption to Sol’s playing career but there is likely to be quite a number of clubs clambering for his signature and you wouldn’t think we would be able to compete in terms of the salary he is still looking to command.

From a footballing sense, I think he would be a good acquisition because players of his experience don’t seem to become available as often as they used to but there are bound to be more attractive placed clubs at home and abroad ahead of us in the queue.

The potential signing of a ‘good old pro’ got me thinking of some of the other players the Albion have signed in the twilight of their careers and there are a few that immediately spring to mind both good and not so good.

Top of the pile for me in terms of star quality would have to be Johnny Giles – although he will always be best remembered for resurrecting our fortunes in the mid seventies to set the foundations for some of our best post war years, it might get forgotten that he played 75 times for us and was still a great player when we got back into the top flight.

Following along in a close second would be Super Kevin Phillips for his mostly superb 38 goals in 71 appearances to cement himself as a great amongst the Championship winning squad.

Others of a lesser degree who I enjoyed watching in Albion colours were Andy Gray and Arthur Albiston who provided some brighter moments during the dark days of the late eighties and showed why they both had such illustrious careers.

At the other end of the scale, there are a few players that I can recall that stepped down from the top flight to join us and didn’t exactly do themselves justice. First up for me would be Geoff Hurst who joined us in 75-76 but only lasted 10 games before packing up.

I remember being pleased when Graham Roberts joined us in 1990 but unfortunately, despite playing 39 times he will always stand out as the senior player in the side defeated by Woking and then relegated to the old third division.

Others who probably wished they had retired before joining us would be Mike Phelan and Andy Townsend who both had admirable careers but never got going with us.

I am sure there are many others that Baggies fans will be able to recall that show that signing experienced players can have mixed blessings.