Shropshire Star

Numbers that show West Brom progress - but big work still to do

Albion owners Bilkul have quite the to-do list on their hands this summer.

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A high priority on the owners' agenda, aside from their key head coach appointment, is to continue to bring down the lofty average age in the squad.

When the Shilen Patel-led group completed their £60million takeover from Guochaun Lai's Yunyi Guokai in February 2024, Albion had the highest average age in the Championship.

Albion averaged 27.6 years from a squad of 28 players used in the Championship in 2023/24. That was six months older, on average, than the next eldest squad.

The ownership began work on addressing the alarming statistic with the release of several experienced campaigners last summer including the long-serving Matty Phillips, as well as Erik Pieters, Yann M'Vila, Nathaniel Chalobah, Adam Reach and Martin Kelly.

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The club's model is to bring down the average age of the squad. (Photo by Adam Fradgley/West Bromwich Albion FC via Getty Images)

James Morrison, the legendary former midfielder turned coach who finished the season as interim boss, said he hopes to see a younger Albion squad compete in the Championship next term.