Darren Moore: West Brom could have had striker Ollie Watkins
Albion rejected the chance to sign Ollie Watkins while the Brentford hotshot was still at Exeter, former boss Darren Moore has revealed.
Watkins – the Championships joint top scorer – netted the only goal of the game as Thomas Frank’s side secured a crucial win over the Baggies on Friday.
Prior to his appointment as Albion’s head coach, Moore had a spell as the club’s loan manager.
And it was while he was in that role that former Exeter boss Paul Tisdale told him Watkins was a player with significant potential.
“I have an interest in Ollie (Watkins),” said Moore who is now in charge of League One outfit Doncaster.
“When I was loans manager at West Brom, I went down to Exeter and we sent a player down to Exeter on loan.
“I remember speaking to Paul Tisdale at the time.
“He recommended Watkins for us as a player we should purchase.
“Unfortunately at West Brom, we didn’t take the plunge at the time.
“Whether the recruitment department didn’t fancy him at the time, or whatever it may be, but I did recommend him and it never came to it.
“On a personal level, I have watched him go on and develop into that number nine and someone who is scoring important goals.”
