Lead West Brom academy coach departs to 'pursue opportunity'
Albion under-21s boss Richard Beale has departed the club after four seasons in his role.
Beale, whose official title was professional development phase manager, moved to Albion in 2021, where he primarily took charge of the Baggies' premier academy side, the under-21s.
He has led Albion under-21s for four seasons and in his debut campaign was in charge for the memorable Premier League Cup triumph with a penalty shootout success against Wolves.
He had a three-match caretaker stint in charge of first-team affairs after Steve Bruce's sacking in October 2022.
Beale moved to the club from senior football with Solihull Moors in 2021 and had previously worked briefly at Villa, as youth team manager.
Albion's academy has been a regular hunting ground for Villa's academy in recent years. Former Baggies academy manager Mark Harrison joined Villa in 2019 and the club have since poached several Albion youngsters.
Jimmy Shan, who was a former Albion under-23 boss as well as first-team caretaker, now works in Villa's academy and after a season as under-18s chief was recently promoted to under-21s boss, leaving a vacancy.
Beale, the former long-serving Blues youth coach, worked under Shan at Solihull Moors between 2020 and 2021.
It is yet to be confirmed where Beale has moved to, with Albion stating the youth coach had pursued an opportunity at another club.
At Albion Beale worked under academy manager Richard Stevens. Former Football League stalwart Deon Burton is also a coach within the under-21s. In charge of the club's under-18s is Leigh Downing, a long-serving youth coach who is the nephew of former Baggies coach Keith.
Albion under-21s finished 18th in the 26-strong Premier League 2 last season, narrowly missing out on a top-16 play-off finish on the final day. Beale, who is highly regarded in youth football, regularly expressed to the Express & Star how his primary remit is to develop players ready to train and feature for the first-team.
Albion's big academy success in recent years is the emergence of winger Tom Fellows, who has become a first-team star after cutting his teeth in Albion's youth set-up.
Goalkeepers Alex Palmer, who has since departed for Ipswich Town, and Josh Griffiths have also progressed to the first team and there are high hopes for 22-year-old central defender Caleb Taylor after a couple of useful loans further down the Football League.
