Albion lose loan midfielder Watson
Albion's final push for promotion has suffered a setback when loan midfielder Ben Watson was recalled by parent club Wigan.
Albion's final push for promotion has suffered a setback when loan midfielder Ben Watson was recalled by parent club Wigan.
The 24-year-old, who had been relishing his return to first team football in the Baggies' bid for a Premier League return, had been hoping to see out the season at the Hawthorns.
But with Wigan's relegation struggle deepening, Watson has been recalled and will now play no further part in Albion's campaign.
The news rocked the Baggies build-up to tomorrow night's Leicester City clash, in which rhe central midfielder had been pencilled in for his eighth appearance of the loan spell.
Watson joined the Baggies in February and, as well as scoring in the victory over Preston, had formed a strong midfield partnership with Graham Dorrans and Youssouf Mulumbu.
Head coach Roberto Di Matteo had also been impressed with the way in which the Londoner had settled in to the dressing room camaraderie and was disappointed to lose the player's services.
The Baggies boss said: "We're really sorry to see Ben go. He's a great lad who has settled in really well and made a vital contribution to our season.
"But this is always a possibility when you loan a player and I would like to wish him and Wigan all the best for the rest of the season.
"Thankfully, we've got a few other options in that area as we've got a few midfielders returning to fitness."
The news is a particular blow to Watson, who clearly had high hopes of re-launching his career within an Albion team now closing in on promotion.
Whether the Wigan player has done enough to persuade Di Matteo to go back in for him in a permanent deal this summer remains to be seen.
But Watson's presence has been vital in easing Albion through a difficult period of injuries, which now appear to be finally clearing.
Although Di Matteo will be without Jerome Thomas against Leicester, his hand will be strengthened by the availability once more of Chris Brunt - providing he suffers no setback in training today - and his east European trio Roman Bednar, Marek Cech and Robert Koren.
The Baggies begin that game needing three wins to be certain of Premier League football, but with Di Matteo's eagle eye ready to stamp on anyone getting ahead of themselves.
He added: "I'm not going to talk about anyone else, I just talk about my club. We're in a good position and have a small advantage over third place.
"But we have to finish it off."