West Brom takeover: Tony Brown reacts live on BBC WM to Shilen Patel news at The Hawthorns
Shilen Patel’s takeover of West Brom has lifted the pressure off everyone around the club who can now look ahead for a potential promotion, says Tony Brown.
The Baggies legend reacted live on BBC Radio WM on 16 February ahead of kick off against Southampton to suggest that everyone who was in fear of the club going under has been given more “spirit” by the announcement the night before.
He is now hoping to follow up the long-awaited takeover with promotion back to the Premier League which he said would be “brilliant”.
Brown said (7.09pm): “It’s a big relief for everybody concerned with West Bromwich Albion. It was the uncertainty. Everybody was saying, ‘What’s going to happen at this club?’ People were talking about the club going under and all that kind of thing.
“So just recently all the talk of the takeover kind of gives you a little bit more spirit and then yesterday we heard it was finally happening and it’s kind of took all the pressure off everybody. Everybody’s looking forward to the remainder of this season to see if we can get back into the top flight.
“That would finish up a great season wouldn’t it? New owners coming in, taking over, and getting promotion in the same season. Absolutely that would be brilliant.”
Bomber Brown reacts live on air to West Brom takeover developments
The whole atmosphere around the club has changed in the past 24 hours, and the timing ahead of a big night game at The Hawthorns has allowed fans excitement that hasn’t been felt for some time.
After years of dissatisfaction with Guochuan Lai’s time as the majority shareholder and months of growing concerns over the finances at the club there is finally a positive long-term view.
It is down to Patel and his father to deliver the future that fans have been desperate for but for now at least it feels entirely positive.
Carlos Corberan has been doing stunning work with an increasingly stretched squad as it is but a win against the Saints is anything but a foregone conclusion.
Patel has been seen at The Hawthorns already so if West Brom can now deliver a huge win in front of the new owner it will generate a party atmosphere inside the ground.
There is a genuine chance of promotion still, but the takeover was arguably the more important development, so if both can be realised it would be a huge campaign for the Baggies.
And to think back to little over a year ago when there was nothing but uncertainty and the club was sliding towards League One under Steve Bruce it is a major turnaround.
In other West Brom news, multiple players are still expected to leave The Hawthorns despite the takeover news.
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