James Morrison draws Caleb Taylor comparison as Millwall man makes first West Brom return

Giant centre-back Taylor, 23, has flourished in his first season of regular Championship football after swapping The Hawthorns for The Den last summer in a £2.5million deal.

Taylor made just four substitute league appearances for the Baggies - and eight more in cup competition - amid a host of impressive Football League loans with an excitement about his development in Albion’s youth ranks, where he was coached by Morrison.

But with Taylor determined to play and senior professionals blocking the route the defender moved to the capital. Morrison admitted the situation reminded him of his own move from Middlesbrough to the Black Country as a 19-year-old in 2007.

“I'm really pleased for him,” Morrison said. “As a young player, he was an example to everyone in terms of professionalism, the will to try to get into first-team football.

“Probably he was a bit unlucky, really, in his time here. I had it with myself at Middlesbrough.

“You probably don't want to leave, you have that title of being young player, and you go into a new club as a first-team player and you just fly a bit and that's what he's done.

“I'm really pleased for him because he was a great lad.”

Taylor has already clocked up 26 appearances in his debut Lions campaign, including 25 in the second tier, having broken into Alex Neil’s high-flying side in late November.

The promising defender has also weighed in with three goals.

Taylor was loaned out League One duo Cheltenham and Bolton between 2022 and 2024 before two separate stints at Wycombe, also of the third tier, in 2024/25.

His season with the latter was punctuated by an Albion recall due to injuries that January. Taylor started in an FA Cup third round tie at Bournemouth - where he headed the opening goal - in a 5-1 defeat.

It was the only appearance of his recall as fellow centre-backs returned to fitness, leaving Taylor in the cold and determined to return to first-team action.

Many felt there was an opening for Taylor to remain in the side but, as Tony Mowbray was appointed, it did not come.

“It was just probably the situation he felt in,” the former midfielder added.

“Maybe when he got into the FA Cup game against Bournemouth when he scored, maybe that was his time to keep playing. He probably wouldn't have looked back.

“But we had good centre-halves there. Again, he's done really well, so it's good for him.”