Where are they now? West Brom’s academy products featuring George Thorne

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We look back at several players who have come out of West Bromwich Albion’s academy in recent years.

Sam Mantom, Paul Downing and Romaine Sawyers all left West Bromwich Albion and made the short trip to Walsall. Downing was the first to move to the Saddlers in 2012 and went on to make over 180 appearances for the League One side. His performances earned him a move to MK Dons and he has been a regular starter so far this season.

Mantom and Sawyers joined Walsall a year later. Both men played in over 150 games and scored 19 goals each during their time at the Bescot. Mantom is now at League One high-flyers Scunthorpe; while Sawyers plays in the Championship with Brentford.

Sawyers is one of many ex-Baggie academy players to be playing Championship football. In 2014, George Thorne signed for Derby County after a successful loan spell. Unfortunately, injuries have plagued his time with the Rams and the midfielder will be out until November following a double leg break suffered against Ipswich Town at the start of the season.

Kemar Roofe also plies his trade in English football’s second tier. Roofe left West Brom in 2015 to sign for Michael Appleton’s Oxford Town. He scored 17 league goals, in an eye-catching campaign, in which he helped fire the U’s to promotion. He had plenty of suitors in the summer before opting for a move to Leeds United. He recently scored his first Leeds goal in the 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Donveron Daniels also won promotion from League One last season with Wigan Athletic. The central defender played 42 times as his side were crowned Champions of the division. He has only made one appearance for Gary Cadwell’s team so far this campaign.

James Hurst was seen as one of West Brom’s hottest prospects when he was rising through the academy. However, the defender decided not to sign a professional deal with the Baggies and moved to Portsmouth in 2008.

Following a spell on loan at Icelandic side IBV, Hurst re-joined West Brom – two years after leaving – but failed to make an impression on the first team. He has since had a spell back in Icelandic football with Valur, as well as, moves to Crawley Town, Torquay United, Hednesford and Guiseley. The 24-year-old know currently plays for Nation League North side Telford United.

Another promising talent who opted to sign a professional deal at another club was Isaiah Brown. After making his Premier League debut for West Brom aged 16, the forward penned a deal with Chelsea in the summer of 2013. Brown spent a year on loan in Holland with Vitesse Arnhem and now plays in the Championship with Rotherham United.

There are plenty West Brom academy graduates currently playing in League One. Bradley Garmston is a regular at Gillingham and has completed over 40 games for the Gills since his permanent move last summer. Adil Nabi is part of Peterborough United’s squad but is yet to work his way into Grant McCann’s starting eleven. His brother, Samir Nabi, recently signed for the Delhi Dynamos.

In 2015, Alex Jones joined Birmingham City on a free transfer and is now on loan at Port Vale. The forward has already notched up 8 goals for Bruno Ribeiro’s side in just 12 games. Liam O’Neil plays for Chesterfield and has recently returned from injury.

One West Bromwich Albion youngster who is at a Premier League side is Ryan Allsop. The goalkeeper left for Millwall in 2011 before having a brief spell in Icelandic football with Hottur. Allsop has been with Bournemouth for the last three years and signed a new contract in the summer.

Meanwhile, the likes of Wes Atkinson and Cameron Gayle are playing in non-league football. Atkinson left Notts County after a year at the club and is now with Eastleigh. Gayle has had spells with Shrewsbury, Oxford, Cambridge United and Sutton Coldfield before joining Rushall Olympic.

West Brom currently have seven youth players out on loan including Tahvon Campbell (Yeovil Town), Callam Jones (Accrington Stanley), Andre Wright (Coventry City), Kyle Howkins (Mansfield Town), Chay Scrivens (Torquay United), Shaun Donnellan (Stevenage) and Tyler Roberts (Oxford United). Not to forget, Saido Berahino, who is still a West Brom player and has scored 23 Premier League goals for the club.

Albion have produced lots of talented footballers in recent years and arguably the most talented are yet to come. With Sam Field, Tyler Roberts and Jonathan Leko on the rise, Baggies supporters have plenty of home grown talents to get excited about.