Shilen Patel excited by young West Brom academy aces he’s tipping to burst into first team
Shilen Patel is expecting several West Brom academy stars to make a breakthrough into the senior side at The Hawthorns.
The Albion chairman cited the progression of Tom Fellows as an aspiration for the new youth players coming through.
Fellows, born in nearby Solihull, came through the ranks with the Baggies and is now a key player in Carlos Corberan’s side, having already made his mark for the England Under-21s.
“It’s really exciting that this club has a Category One academy that is well regarded,” Patel tells The Telegraph’s John Percy [3 October].
“We see that as an important part of growing the club and sustaining it. We want more children to grow up in this area to follow Tom’s path. We want the academy to be that place where they feel it can happen.
“There’s something special about those stories. We see some other young players that we think are going to be capable of helping the club pretty soon.”
West Brom looking to excel club’s academy
Patel’s comments on the academy will be music to the ears of West Brom fans, who have seen players break through to become first-team regulars – Fellows the latest on that list.
With acknowledgement of the importance of the youth setup should mean investment, with Albion particularly unfortunate in terms of location and the density of established football clubs in close proximity.
The Baggies are in competition for local talent with the likes of Aston Villa, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Birmingham City, with many players dovetailing between several Midlands clubs until they grow older and choose an academy.
There are now calls for Corberan to bring in reinforcements from the U21 side, including 18-year-old midfielder Harry Whitwell.
Albion’s U21s are currently 13th in a 26-team Premier League 2, the elite division in this age group intended for professional development.
In other West Brom news, Jake Livermore makes his latest assessment on the side.
For more West Brom news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.