Exclusive - How Don Goodman reacted to Alex Mowatt signing new contract with West Brom | OneFootball

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman reacts to Alex Mowatt signing a new contract with West Bromwich Albion.

Experienced midfielder Alex Mowatt has signed a contract extension with West Bromwich Albion, which will keep him at The Hawthorns until 2027.

Mowatt signed for West Brom in 2021 from Barnsley, following manager Valerien Ismael when he made the move from Oakwell to The Hawthorns as the then-new manager's first signing.

The industrious midfielder has made over 130 appearances for the club since then, scoring 13 goals. Mowatt has been a starter for Albion this season under new head coach Ryan Mason too, with his team having had a strong start to the season with their revamped squad.

Speaking to the club's official website upon penning the new deal, Mowatt said: "I’m buzzing to sign a new deal at this great club, it’s a really exciting time for us at the moment.

"I’m happy and enjoying my football. We’ve had a good start to the season and hopefully it can continue."

The club seem equally delighted that Mowatt has chosen to extend his contract with them, as well, with sporting director Andrew Nestor adding that, "His experience and character are of huge benefit, and he will continue to add great competition for us in the number six position."

"A wand of a left foot": Don Goodman hails Alex Mowatt as West Brom contract extension signed

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, Sky Sports pundit Don Goodman hailed Mowatt and the club's decision to sign a contract extension.

"It's great news for West Bromwich Albion that they've convinced Alex Mowatt to sign a new deal. I can't believe where the time's gone.

"I see that he's 30-years-old, and I remember commentating at the very early part of his career as a Leeds United player at Molineux, where he rifled in a couple of long-range strikes with that wand of a left foot that he's got.

"We all expected his career to really explode and take off, and it never really did to the extent of somebody with such talent."

Goodman believes that Mowatt has matured into the sort of player that West Brom fans will be delighted to see committing his future to their club.

"But I do feel, certainly the last couple of seasons, West Bromwich Albion fans have seen the real Alex Mowatt, and his form goes back to his days at Barnsley where he was amongst the goals and assists, and controlling games of football.

"So he's in the twilight of his career and we're seeing the best version of him, which is great news for West Bromwich Albion."

Alex Mowatt and West Bromwich Albion are a perfect fit for each other

Mowatt has certainly been enthused by the arrival of Ryan Mason as the new West Bromwich Albion head coach, praising the way in which the new man in charge gets his messaging across.

"It's shocked me how good he's been at getting his message across," he told BBC Radio WM in July.

"It helps massively. The training's been good and he's high on standards. It's been a good intensity and the gaffer drives that - which was what was needed."

And that the appreciation should be mutual is unsurprising, because there are fewer more experienced players in the Championship.

He's spent all bar two of his fourteen years as a senior professional in this division, having come through the academy system at Leeds United, before moving to Barnsley in January 2017 for a fee reported to be £600,000.

He moved on to The Hawthorns in July 2021, and has also had spells on loan with Oxford United and Middlesbrough respectively. He's made 450 League appearances over that time, of which all bar 76 have come in the Championship.

Mason is the fifth manager that Mowatt will have worked under since he arrived at The Hawthorns just over four years ago, a number that rises to eight once caretakers are also included.

But continuity is also important both on and off the pitch, and both Mowatt's leadership on the pitch and Mason's off it, will be crucial to the West Bromwich Albion