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Jonny Evans: West Brom legends on Albion skipper's £100k contract offer

After Jonny Evans was offered the chance to become the Black Country’s highest-ever paid player, Matt Wilson spoke to Cyrille Regis to see if the defender would be worth the cash.

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It may dwarf the salaries of the region’s footballing legends from the past, but they agree the influential skipper is worth every penny in today’s market.

Evans, who joined Albion from Manchester United in the summer of 2015 for £6million, has been offered the hefty pay rise in an attempt to persuade him to stay at The Hawthorns.

A number of top six clubs including Manchester City and Arsenal want to sign him in the January transfer window, and even though the figures are eye-watering, they do not surprise the former players.

“Not at all, it’s market forces,” said Cyrille Regis, a Baggies legend from the 70s and 80s.

“It’s the way football is going. Teams are getting £100m each season coming in from television money and commercial revenue.

“Football is about people’s opinion, so if someone wants you and is willing to pay that much, fair enough.

“Albion wouldn’t be offering that sort of money if they didn’t think he was worth it.”

Regis helped the Baggies finish in the top four twice during his playing career, and would be a multimillionaire in today’s game, but he has no regrets about the era he played in.

“Why should there be?” he asked. “Playing football is not about the money. But also, what about the guys from the 1920s, 30s, and 40s who got paid less than I did? It’s just the way the world goes.”

Cyrille Regis

Back in 1950, England captain and Wolves centre-back Billy Wright was on £12 a week and, as he put it in his book, was "just happy playing for the Wolves.”

The average wage packet in the top tier was still £20 a week in 1961, but there was inflation towards the end of the 1970s thanks to an influx of foreign players.

But it was still pittance compared to today’s extortionate salaries.

When the Baggies finished fourth in the top tier during the 1980/81 season, official figures from the Professional Footballers’ Association show only eight players in the whole of England earned £50,000 a year.

Nowadays, that’s the average wage per week in the Premier League.

John Wile was a centre-back, like Evans, and played in that famous Albion team with Regis.

He featured more than 600 times for the Baggies in their hey-day and later moved upstairs and had a seat on the club’s board. He too wasn’t surprised by the offer tabled to Evans.

“Not at all,” he said. “In today’s market, no. He’s a good player. He’s the right age, he’s got the great attitude, I think he’s been tremendous for us. And I hope he signs it. There’s not that many good centre halves about.

“I’m sure the players of our team would have been aiming for this type of money if we were playing today, it’s just the way the world moves forward. Good players will attract good contracts.

“If I’d have been playing today, hopefully I would have attracted a good contract.”

John Wile

But is Evans as good as the likes of Wile or his defensive partner Ally Robertson, who played more than 500 times together at the heart of the Albion defence during their pomp?

Former Republic of Ireland manager Johnny Giles managed those two at The Hawthorns and still watches the Baggies on a regular basis, so he’s a good man to ask.

“They’re different times,” he said. “I think Evans might be a little bit better on the ball, more stylish on the ball.

“Whether he’s as good at defending, I’m not so sure. And defending is the main thing.

“A lot of players are good on the ball, I want to know if he’s defending well, being good on the ball is a bonus.

“Ally was adequate on the ball, he wouldn’t have been as comfortable as Evans, but he probably blocked more goals.”