Tragedy of modern game - How loan deals like West Brom's Danny Imray are tough for clubs

One of a handful of standout performers in the run to Championship survival at The Hawthorns last season belonged to Crystal Palace.

Right wing-back Danny Imray recovered from a tough start under Eric Ramsay to flourish with successor James Morrison as Albion rallied to safety.

Loans have not been overly fruitful for the Baggies in recent years but have been commonplace at most levels of English football, certainly further down the pyramid, for two decades.

Albion fan John Homer, chairman of the official supporters’ club and familiar face to all at The Hawthorns, sees the nature of loanees as an unfortunate part of the modern game, given how stars like Imray and others do not, in some cases, become part of the furniture.

"Well, that's a difficult one really,” Homer told the Express & Star when asked about prospects for the new season.

“Because I think one of the tragedies of the modern game are loan signings.

"(Danny) Imray is the one in particular that everybody's looking at. He had an abysmal debut at Portsmouth. But then when he's fit and he's given the opportunity, he's outstanding.

"And based on his period at the club, if he'd have been there all season, he'd be one of the contenders for player of the year.

"Players like that were integral into helping us survive.”

Palace prospect Imray, 22, has been a target of Albion’s this summer with boss Morrison keen to bring him back to the club. The wing-back has no shortage of admirers, however, and wants a crack at impressing new Eagles boss Pierre Sage.

Imray joined a short list of successful loans for the Baggies in recent seasons where only Mikey Johnston particularly caught the eye.

Back further and stars such as Dwight Gayle, Grady Diangana and Matheus Pereira were star loanees. Back to the early 2000s saw a young recruit from Manchester United, Kieron Richardson, play a role in the great escape of 2005.

Homer, fan of six decades who runs a dementia class and tours of The Hawthorns, added of the club’s business: "We've lost people like (Daryl) Dike and Jed Wallace. Wallace, in particular, who's been around for a while and was a good club man.

"It may well be that he saw at this particular time in his career that it was time for a break or whatever. Dike did well towards the end of the season. We have to say, sadly, it's a bit of a gamble, because of his (injury) problems in the past.

"So what we're looking at now is what support he gets from the board to build, essentially, a new squad. So we're in a different ball game altogether.”