Brown Ideye sends message as former West Brom record signing retires
Former West Brom striker Brown Ideye has announced his retirement from football.
The forward spent just one year at the Baggies and played alongside James Morrison, who took over as caretaker manager at the end of last season before West Brom appointed Ryan Mason.
West Brom beat Wrexham 3-2 on Saturday, 16 August, as they continue to enjoy a strong start to the season under the former Tottenham coach.
West Brom’s next meeting will be against Portsmouth, where fans will hope to see a full debut given to exciting signing Toby Collyer.
Brown Ideye left an impression at The Hawthorns
Ideye took to social media on 20 August to announce his retirement, thanking fans for supporting the game that, in his words, “made me and gave me everything”.
The striker started his career in Nigeria before moving to Neuchatel Xamax in Switzerland.
Promising form there earned him a move to French club Sochaux and later Dynamo Kyiv, where he caught the eye of West Brom.
Three seasons and 45 goals convinced the Baggies to make Ideye their record signing at the time, spending £10million to bring the forward to the Premier League.
Whilst the Nigerian international never managed to find his feet in England, he gave West Brom fans some memories that they remember fondly.
| Brown Ideye | West Brom |
| Appearances | 31 |
| Goals | 7 |
| Assists | 2 |
One came in the FA Cup against West Ham, when Ideye scored twice in a 4-0 win.
The first, a classic striker’s goal, getting on the end of a Craig Dawson – of all players – cross to poke past the goalkeeper.
The second perhaps summed him up as a player for the Baggies, with Ideye failing to get on the end of a simple-looking cross, before converting with a powerful header from Stephan Sessegnon’s follow-up.
The Nigerian sealed the brace with an acrobatic backflip celebration, landing it perfectly.
Ideye wrote: “To every club I’ve had the honour of wearing their jersey and representing, every coach and teammate who pushed and rooted for me to be better, and every fan who supported me through highs and lows – thank you.”
Brown Ideye offers memories of the Premier League
Memories of players such as Ideye go side by side with memories of when West Brom competed in the Premier League.
Four years have passed since the Baggies last enjoyed top-flight football, and The Hawthorns will hope not to have to wait much longer.
There is hope surrounding the new era under Mason, and West Brom will hope the Premier League is not too far in the distance.
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