Low-key Bilkul summer business a nod to West Brom future
Albion's summer business was anything but low-key in the final couple of weeks as players came and went.
Sales of high-profile players Tom Fellows and Darnell Furlong and homegrown talents like Caleb Taylor were balanced with the late arrivals of Alfie Gilchrist, Chris Mepham, Charlie Taylor and Sammy Iling-Junior.
In total there were nine new recruits at The Hawthorns this summer and 11 senior exits.
Most considered it an impressive window of business by owners Bilkul - though in reality it is unwise to make assessments at this stage, just five matches into a league season.
Albion's ownership were not just busy working on Ryan Mason's first-team squad during the close-season. They handed the club's iconic stadium a much-needed spruce-up for its 125th anniversary year, which was to the tune of a significant six-figure fee.
But there was also lower-profile business in the form of securing the next few years of development in some of the club's finest prospects.
There has been comment at head coach Mason's move to use two goalkeepers on his substitutes bench in the last two games. Speaking in today's Express & Star, Mason said that was to protect young players from premature calls to first team duty, adding youngsters must earn the right.
The new boss - so long a youth coach at Tottenham - has stressed his admiration and acknowledgement of the importance of the academy. He has already handed right-back Alex Williams, 20, a senior debut. Others have caught the eye and earned a place in the matchday squad.
