West Bromwich Albion’s incredible wait for an away win in the Championship is now over.
Heading into the Baggies’ conference clash with Bristol City at Ashton Gate, it has been a grueling 172 days since the West Midlands side last tasted success, away to the Hawthorns.
This crazy hooodoo has now been removed, as James Morrison continues to look like a replacement for the hopeless Eric Ramsay.
As West Brom won 1-0 away, the man of the match on the day was George Campbell, as the defender – like Morrison – remains firmly in the Baggies’ good books, even if the season has been very dark.
A favorite scene for Campbell fans
West Brom fans will not look back on the 2025/26 season with much fondness when the campaign wraps up in May.
Indeed, the sacking of two managers has left the Baggies fighting for their lives near the relegation zone, but it hasn’t been a disaster in recent months, with Campbell holding on as a firm fan favorite in the crunch.
The American defender has quickly adapted to grave duty, winning 4.9 duels per competition, as West Brom have had to throw bodies on the line to try and maintain their second-tier status. To add context, this is more than Chris Mepham has managed – winning 4.4 duels per game – despite being an EFL veteran.
He was also a reliable figure in West Brom’s rescue at big moments in front of goal, with the 24-year-old bagging his sixth goal of the season when he nodded home Calum Styles’ corner against the Robins.
With five duels won bravely in the 3-0 win over Hull City, the former Montreal man will now go down as a key part of the team that will defend survival under Morrison’s renewed methods.
Surprisingly, however, there is another defender in the ranks who could be considered the second coming of West Brom’s Jonas Olsson.
West Brom’s star is Morrison’s Olsson
Campbell has some catching up to do to be considered the Swede’s equal.
In nine years at the Hawthorns, Olsson would never let his commitment waver for the cause, with former Baggies boss Tony Mowbray calling him a “fantastic footballer” and “competitor”, as he went on to make 261 appearances for the West Midlands.
With 14 goals in his back pocket for West Brom, Campbell could, in time, reach this championship status.
Right now, however, Nat Phillips is likely to be regarded as the modern version of the 6-foot-5 hero, as he has been a beast in the air since moving from Liverpool to the Baggies last summer in a £3m switch.
|
Phillips league numbers |
|
|---|---|
|
Count (* = per 90 minutes) |
# |
|
Games played |
34 |
|
Goals were scored |
3 |
|
It helps |
0 |
|
Contact* |
69.2 |
|
Accurate passes* |
46.1 (85%) |
|
Football recovery* |
3.9 |
|
Delete* |
6.7 |
|
Total winnings* |
5.9 |
|
Clean sheets |
9 |
He has lived up to his reputation as a “lion” – as he is called by his former Anfield coach Pepijn Lijnders – during his short spell at the Hawthorns so far, winning a whopping 5.9 duels in Championship clashes, blowing Campbell out of the water.
He also has three goals to his name this campaign, making good use of his towering 6-foot-3 frame.
Although the 29-year-old clearly shares the same bitterness as Olsson at the Baggies, which is helpful in West Brom’s dire situation, he would move to the West Midlands to take part in the promotion battles and try to return to the Premier League.
In this last season’s faltering season, if survival is achieved, West Brom will be looking to return to the fight for promotion, as Phillips is not at all worried about the prospect of high-quality football, down the line, having played 29 times in the promised land with the Reds.
It was there that Olsson worked for the Baggies, one season removed from the Championship, with Phillips wishing to age like a fine wine in the top flight, like a high Scandinavian.
Back to the present, however, survival still needs to be commended, and Morrison will know he can rely on the 29-year-old to continue to put things in perspective, in the same way that West Brom have never doubted Olsson.
West Brom are planning an exciting move to bring the 37-capped England star to the Hawthorns
He is a Premier League star…
