By Jemma Tappenden
December 18 2007

After an impressive review and performance this weekend against Charlton Athletic, it seems appropriate to make Chris Brunt the feature of this weeks Player Profile. He was one of Tony Mowbray’ summer buys at the Hawthorns and looks like becoming quite a player.

Born December 14^th 1984 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Chris Brunt had always had ambitions of one day becoming a footballer.  He became his playing career playing for St Andrews FC youth football team, during which he was sought after by many of England’s Premiership sides.  He had trials at Manchester United and Middlesbrough, eventually signing for Northern England side Boro.

 

Despite his elation at joining a Premiership side he found it difficult to break into the team.  So 2004 saw a 20 year old Brunt make the move to Sheffield Wednesday, signing a two year contract.  In his first full season at the club he helped the Owls to promotion from League One to the Championship, scoring five goals in the process.  After the success of the promotion season he signed a year’s extension to his contract. 

 

The following season, despite a move up the leagues, Brunt netted seven goals for Wednesday, finishing the season as their leading goal scorer.  In the 2006/07 season he made his 100^th appearance for Wednesday, making him the clubs most experienced player at that time.  His efforts that season also saw him notch up the Owls Player of the Month award six times, and perhaps more importantly earned him a call up for Northern Ireland.

 

The success of the season brought with it news and rumours that Brunt might well depart Wednesday during the summer interval.  Despite his claims that he was happy at the Owls, negotiations over a new contract broke down and with just 12 months left to run on his current contract, a host of clubs including Wigan, Fulham and Manchester City were said to be interested in signing him.

 

Despite interest from several Premiership sides, Brunt signed for West Bromwich Albion on 15^th August 2007, in a deal worth £3 million with £500,000 of performance related add-ons.  Brunt’s first appearance of his 4 year contract with the Baggies was as a second half substitute against Barnsley on 1^st September this year.  On the 22^nd of that month he scored his first Albion goal, contributing to a 3-2 victory away from home at Scunthorpe United.