Kevin Campbell: West Brom escape was ‘greatest thing I’ve ever done in football’
We’re delighted to welcome former West Brom striker Kevin Campbell as our exclusive columnist. Each week he’ll be giving his views on the biggest talking points at The Hawthorns…
West Brom were the first Premier League side to survive the drop after being bottom of the league at Christmas – Kevin Campbell remembers the 2005 season fondly.
Campbell headed to The Hawthorns in January 2005 and was brought in to add some firepower to a struggling Baggies side.
West Brom sat bottom of the Premier League at Christmas and looked destined for the drop. But Bryan Robson led the side to safety in a season now coined the ‘Great Escape’.
Looking back on that miraculous season, Campbell hailed the impact of the coaching staff and stated that West Brom became pioneers for struggling sides.
“These are special, special times,” Campbell told West Brom News.
“Under manager Bryan Robson, number two was Nigel Pearson, Craig Shakespeare was on the staff, Michael Appleton was on the staff. All four of those have been managers.
“We had some good players, some experienced players in that squad mixed with youth and we got on the Bryan Robson train and decided there aren’t many chances we’re going to get to make history – and that was the focus from all of us.
“And that’s what we did. We ended up being the first side who were bottom at Christmas – or bottom at new New Year – to stay up.
“That there is The Great Escape.
“People have done it since, but we proved it can be done. It was tough at times because you have to take your losses, but what a remarkable feat for all of us at the club. I still say – that is the greatest thing I’ve ever done in football.
“Everyone wrote us off. Everyone. The club should be proud.”
In other West Brom news, Chris Lepkowski names a manager keen on taking the Baggies job