West Brom saw the best of Tony Pulis' long-term target after his Hawthorns exit: View | OneFootball

West Brom saw the best of Jay Rodriguez following Tony Pulis' departure

West Bromwich Albion were relegated from the Premier League to the Championship in 2018, following an eight-year spell in the top-flight.

The Baggies made their Premier League return after securing automatic promotion at the end of the 2019/20 second tier campaign, but were relegated back to the Championship once more in 2021, and have remained in the division ever since.

Albion's previously mentioned eight-year stint in the top-flight was overseen by a variety of different managers, including current Scotland boss Steve Clarke, and former England manager Roy Hodgson.

The Hawthorns faithful will also remember Tony Pulis' time in the Baggies dugout, which lasted from January 2015-November 2017, and the Welshman secured a mid-table finish with the West Midlands outfit following the 2015/16 Premier League season.

Pulis was dismissed from his West Brom duties following a disappointing run of 10 winless games in the top-flight, which left the club just one point above the relegation zone.

Towards the end of his Hawthorns tenure, the former Stoke City boss signed Jay Rodriguez from Southampton for a fee of around £12m in July 2017, as per BBC Sport.

Pulis was a long-term admirer of Rodriguez

Upon signing for the Baggies, the former England striker told the West Brom club website: "After one or two near misses, I'm absolutely buzzing to be here.

"The most important thing for any player is to be wanted, and Tony Pulis and Albion have made it clear just how much they have wanted me to join.

"That's fantastic for any footballer to hear.

"I'm genuinely delighted to be joining a club of Albion's stature.

"The team is full of top players, and it's pretty clear that they are also a great set of lads."

But despite the fact that Pulis had a clear desire for Rodriguez to join the Baggies, the former Saints man did not deliver for the Welshman in the way in which his then manager would have wanted.

In fact, during the entirety of the 2017/18 season, of which Pulis oversaw the first four months, the current Burnley forward scored just seven goals in 37 appearances as Albion were relegated from the Premier League to the Championship.

Rodriguez's best West Brom days came after Pulis' departure

While it was Pulis who brought Rodriguez to the Hawthorns, the Englishman's best days in the West Midlands did not come until the 2018/19 season, the Baggies' first full campaign following their former manager's exit.

The Baggies played some highly impressive football during the 2018/19 Championship campaign, and finished in fourth place after returning a tally of 80 points.

Only 2019 second tier champions Norwich City, then spearheaded by Finland international Teemu Pukki, scored more goals than Albion's 87 that season.

And West Brom largely had Rodriguez to thank for their prolific goalscoring exploits, as the targetman bagged an impressive 22 goals and six assists in the Championship, while his strike partner Dwight Gayle managed 24 goals and two assists.

But despite their formidable strike partnership that season, the Baggies did not secure promotion back to the Premier League that year, as they lost out to eventual play-off champions Aston Villa in the semi-final stages.

However, the Hawthorns faithful will fondly remember the goalscoring contributions of Rodriguez that campaign, who ironically performed impressively well following the exit of Pulis, the manager who had so desperately wanted to sign him in the Premier League.