Bargain £400k West Brom signing will leave mixed emotions for Baggies supporters: View | OneFootball

It’s an exciting time to be a West Brom fan, as they push for promotion to the Premier League under the guidance of Carlos Corberan.

Of course, returning to the top-flight would be nothing new for the Baggies, as they’ve been up and down regularly over the years, with their best spell coming as they had eight consecutive years from 2010.

Craig Dawson was a bargain West Brom signing

There were many memorable moments for Albion in that period, and one player who made a big contribution was Craig Dawson.

The defender joined from Rochdale in a bargain £400,000 deal, and he would go on to make over 200 appearances for West Brom, which included establishing himself as a regular from the 2014/15 campaign onwards.

Whether it was right-back or centre-back, Dawson was a reliable, trusted figure, with his no-nonsense style making him a fan favourite. He was the sort of player who would do his job, not cause any trouble, and he also chipped in with some big goals for Albion over the years.

Admittedly, things didn’t end how Dawson would’ve wanted, although he does deserve credit as someone who stuck around following Albion’s relegation in 2018.

He continued to play a key role for the Baggies in the second tier, but unfortunately for them, they would fall short in their quest to bounce back immediately after losing in the play-offs to rivals Aston Villa.

After that, Dawson would leave The Hawthorns, as he secured a switch to Watford.

Of course, that was a blow for Albion, but most recognised that this was a player who had given his all over the years, and he gave them a season in the Championship before returning to the Premier League with Watford.

Craig Dawson endures mixed spells after West Brom success

Dawson’s time at Vicarage Road was short-lived, as he struggled to make a positive impact as the side were relegated during his only season there.

The experienced centre-back would get another Premier League switch though, as he joined West Ham, and it’s a move that revitalised his career.

Dawson would feature regularly for David Moyes over the next few years, and it was a remarkable journey, as they qualified for Europe, and the ex-Rochdale man became a cult hero after some outstanding performances, whilst he also scored in a historic win at Lyon in the Europa League quarter-final.

Craig Dawson joined Wolves and leaves a sour taste in mouths of West Brom fans

At that stage, most Albion fans would’ve probably been pleased to see Dawson doing well, as he was still held in high regard at The Hawthorns.

But, his reputation with West Brom would suffer after his transfer to Wolves in January 2023.

Obviously, it’s far worse when players move directly between clubs, but that is very, very rare in the modern game. Yet, even though Dawson didn’t do that, his popularity at The Hawthorns was never going to be the same.

Then, the two clubs were drawn to play each other in the FA Cup earlier this year, which was the first time they would meet with fans for over a decade.

Naturally, that brought a focus on Dawson, and there was a funny moment before kick-off when Wolves keeper Jose Sa found a picture of the centre-back in Albion colours on the wall as they walked to the dressing room.

Once the game started, Dawson was booed by a section of the support throughout, although he had the last laugh as Wolves beat the Baggies at The Hawthorns for the first time since the mid-90s.

Ultimately, Dawson put his career first by joining Wolves, and it’s a decision that has worked out, as he has featured regularly and managed to move closer to his family after living in London.

One knock-on effect was that it tarnished his reputation in the eyes of some West Brom fans, but his comments earlier this year about how he ‘really enjoyed’ beating his former clubs suggests it’s something Dawson can live with.