West Brom may struggle to repeat £1.5m Middlesbrough transfer masterstroke - It was a bargain | OneFootball

The Baggies’ capture of James Morrison was a masterstroke, with the Scotsman being an ever-present in their Premier League success.

West Brom have had some sensational players represent the blue and white stripes over the years, helping keep the club competing in either the Championship or the Premier League.

The Baggies, over the last two decades, have either been fighting towards the top end of the second tier or establishing themselves as Premier League regulars, with the club hoping to get back to the latter after a four-year exodus from the top-flight.

In previous years in the top two divisions of English football, the Baggies have had to be shrewd in different transfer markets.

They certainly were when recruiting James Morrison, who provided incredible longevity at The Hawthorns and was a key figure in Albion’s promotion to the top-flight and their eventual eight-year stay from 2010 through to 2018.

Albion will struggle to recruit a more complete player for such a minimal price, with Morrison creating moments that Baggies fans will always have long in their memories.

James Morrison’s legacy at West Brom

West Brom signed the former Scottish international from Middlesbrough back in August 2007 for a fee of £1.5 million, and he would remain at the Hawthorns all the way up until his retirement in 2019.

During his illustrious 12-year spell, Morrison racked up a mighty 341 appearances for Albion, with his longevity so impressive alongside the creative quality he added on the pitch.

Morrison would make an immediate impact in the West Midlands, making 35 appearances in the second tier as Albion lifted the Championship title.

The former Boro man then went on to make 30 Premier League outings the following campaign, scoring three goals as well as providing four assists, but it was not enough to prevent immediate relegation back down to the Championship.

Morrison would register a second promotion with the club in 2010, however, despite playing more of a bit-part role, featuring just 11 times that term.

From the second promotion, Albion would undergo their eight-year stint in the top-flight, and Morrison regularly exceeded 30 Premier League appearances per season, while his most productive campaigns came in 2012 and 2013, as he scored five goals and recorded five assists in both terms.

The Baggies would go on to miss the midfielder as they suffered relegation in 2018, with an Achilles tendon injury resulting in a lack of experience to dig themselves out of the situation they were in at the time.

The now 38-year-old featured 19 times for the Baggies the following season in the Championship, helping them secure a play-off place before eventually hanging up his boots after their semi-final defeat to Aston Villa.

In total, Morrison tallied up 39 goals and 34 assists from 341 games in an Albion shirt, a superb figure for such a small price paid.

West Brom will struggle to find a bargain buy as good as James Morrison

For just £1.5 million, James Morrison has to go down as one of West Brom’s best-ever bargain buys, with the midfielder transforming himself into a modern-day hero at The Hawthorns.

Winning two promotions and providing excellent returns in the Premier League, the Black Country outfit couldn’t have hoped for a more influential player at such a low cost, and it is difficult to see how the club will replicate such a brilliant deal again.

Morrison still has a coaching role with Albion at this moment in time, highlighting the impact he had at the club, and supporters will always remember the immense contributions he made to the club to help keep them at the top of the English pyramid.