The Baggies gave thousands of minutes of football to U23 players last season with Dara O’Shea leading the way for academy graduates. The Irish international has emerged as a starting centre back for the midlands club. West Brom have a traditionally successful academy but it has struggled to replicate previous success in recent years. O’Shea’s development should provide hope that the route is not totally closed.
In terms of results, West Brom U23s struggled just as much as the first team did. They finished thirteenth in Division 2 while the U18s did not fare much better finishing eighth out of thirteen. Although results at this level are secondary, it does indicate that there is perhaps a lack of talent within the squads. Indeed it appears West Brom thought so - they allowed seventeen youth team players to walk this summer so both U23 and U18 sides will have completely new looks.
| U23 Projected Starters | |
|---|---|
| Position | |
| GK | Ted Cann |
| CB | Zak Delaney |
| CB | Saul Shotton |
| RB | Taylor Gardner-Hickman |
| LB | Zac Ashworth |
| CM | Toby King |
| CM | Jamie Andrews |
| CM | Quevin |
| RW | Rayhaan Tulloch |
| LW | Rico Richards |
| CF | Owen Windsor |
| U18 Projected Starters | |
|---|---|
| Position | |
| GK | Ronnie Hollingshead |
| CB | Daniel N’Goma |
| CB | Leon Machisa |
| RB | Reece Hall |
| LB | Lino Sousa |
| CM | MacKenzie Lamb |
| CM | Mark Chidi |
| CM | Josh Barrett |
| RW | Reyes Cleary |
| LW | Fenton Heard |
| CF | Samuel Okoka |
Players in Profile - Three to Watch in 2021/2022
Saul Shotton
- Position: CB
- Age: 20
- Nationality: English
Former Bury defender Saul Shotton signed for West Brom in 2019 and spent the first part of 2020 on loan with National league side Woking where he made fifteen starts before being recalled in January. The talented defender was the most sought after free agent following Bury’s dissolution and he committed his future to the club by signing a new deal in November. With a slight build and primarily ‘footballing’ based approach to the game, Shotton could potentially struggle with the physical aspects of Championship football but in an attacking system, as the Baggie should be at this level, his comfort in possession can open up further offensive opportunities.
Taylor Gardner-Hickman
- Position: RB
- Age: 19
- Nationality: English
Promoted to the first team by Sam Allardyce for West Brom’s trip to Arsenal in May, Gardner-Hickman has started pre-season with an intensity of a player who knows he has a real chance of becoming a first teamer under new boss, Valerian Ismael. With Darnell Furlong the only other right back in the squad, and Gardner-Hickman consistently impressing at U23 level, the wing back has every chance of competing for first team action. Despite not being the quickest full back in the world, he consistently gets himself high up the field and into goal scoring opportunities. Defensively he is fine, but certainly getting forward is his main focus.
Rico Richards
- Position: RW
- Age: 17
- Nationality: English
Richards signed his first professional contract for West Brom in 2020 and has already seen himself burdened with the label of ‘wonderkid’. Already playing for England U19s, the forward is versatile and tricky but backs it up with strong technical ability which make him the designated free kick taker for West Brom U18s. Perhaps his most impressive performance was up against Liverpool’s Billy Koumetio - Richards consistently beat the French defender with speed and strength, turning him inside out at will and pinching the ball off his toes on numerous occasions causing mayhem within the Liverpool backline. The performance displayed everything great about his game; close control, strength, pace and a determination to win the ball back. Richards was prolific at U18 level but he projects as a slightly different forward at first team level, setting the press and winning possession to set off other goal scoring teammates.