West Bromwich Albion have emerged from the most troubling period in their recent history and now, under new owner Shilen Patel, are dreaming of a Premier League return.

For the first time in many years, Albion are planning for a bright future, with Patel providing the financial support, care and dedication to reinvigorate one of the Football League’s founder members.

Ever since the Florida-based entrepreneur completed his £60 million takeover in February, ending the turbulent reign of Guochuan Lai, the change in mood has been tangible.

This is his first national newspaper interview since his arrival and, over the course of an hour, it becomes clear that this famous old club have got under his skin.

“It’s certainly changed my life,” he says, smiling as he sits in the Allen Suite at the Hawthorns.

“It’s been a dream and a desire for over two decades to be a part of English football. Not just in any way possible, it needed to be the right club at the right time.

“Now I’m here it would mean the world to take this club back to the Premier League. It’s the primary objective we have.

“I just feel like the Premier League is home for this club – but we have to earn it.”

Patel, 44, quickly emerged as the club’s preferred bidder after opening negotiations last September, and the rebuilding job is already well under way.

West Brom are fourth in the Championship, with their highly-regarded head coach Carlos Corberan now able to flourish and develop a squad aligned with his vision.

“We know this club can sustain in the Premier League,” says Patel. “We see clubs that are our size or smaller that have found winning strategies to stay there and thrive.

“This was always a really special opportunity and to have this type of club available doesn’t happen all the time.”

Before focusing on Albion’s new chapter, it is perhaps important to reflect on the last three stormy years.

Relegated from the Premier League in 2021, West Brom were in danger of severe financial problems with Lai declining to invest.

When the parachute payments ran out last year, the prospect of administration, a fire sale of players and staff cuts were all possible down the line.

The loans borrowed from American investment company MSD to guarantee cash-flow, totalling £28 million, were a serious concern.

While Corberan managed to keep the team competitive on the pitch, the leadership of managing director Mark Miles, plus other senior staff, was vital in maintaining stability.

Even today, Patel will have to pay back the MSD loan and a separate historical £3.7 million loan from 2014 taken out by Jeremy Peace, another former chairman.

“I came here searching for red flags and expecting to find several, because there always are in deals like this,” says Patel.

“What we found was that the risks we were aware of were the ones we needed to focus on.

“With all the turmoil around the club, the turnover and different situations, it didn’t really have the opportunity to plan beyond the next few months.

“That’s how clubs like this lose the ground they’ve gained over years of effective operation, good success in talent acquisition and competing.

“The main thing it needed was to stick to a long-term plan, and beyond this season.”

‘You walk around and see history’

Patel’s determination to buy the club never wavered. A multi-millionaire, he points to one visit to the Hawthorns and the club’s training ground in late October as pivotal in the takeover process.

He was joined by Andrew Nestor, a long-term business partner who has assumed the responsibility of sporting director at the club.

“We were so impressed walking around the stadium,” recalls Patel. “To say the Hawthorns is nearly 125 years old is really something – we have a few stadiums in the United States that are over a century old and they show their character, let’s just say.

“You walk around here and you see history, love and passion. It left a big impression and that was when we realised we had to get the deal done.”

Patel’s investment has already been significant. Around £1 million was spent on a new elite pitch at the club’s training complex, while 11 new signings arrived over the summer.

Torbjorn Heggem, a £500,000 capture from IF Brommapojkarna, was the club’s first cash signing since Daryl Dike on New Year’s Day 2022.

Corberan’s No 1 target, Celtic winger Mikey Johnston who impressed on loan last season, joined for £3 million after rejecting Burnley and Sheffield United.

Albion also slashed their wage bill by offloading Brandon Thomas-Asante (to Coventry for £2.5 million), Okay Yokuslu (Trabzonspor, £1.5 million) and Conor Townsend (Ipswich, £750,000). High earners including Matt Phillips, Cedric Kipre and Nathaniel Chalobah departed as free agents.

Nestor reveals that data on their transfer business predicted West Brom would be six points better off with 20 per cent less money on spending.

“We had a number of expiring contracts so there was always going to be huge turnover, but it gave us the opportunity to bring in players that fit Carlos’s game model,” says Nestor, who also played a key role in the rise of Serie A club Bologna.

“We identified a few key areas where we needed to improve to be more of an offensive threat.

“You can’t do everything in one window, but we felt like we were able to start our long-term process of building the squad the right way.”

In another plus from the window, Albion rejected a £10 million offer from Southampton for England under-21 international Tom Fellows.

Ipswich also expressed an interest and Patel concedes the West Brom of recent years would have been under pressure to sell.

Yet the success story of local lad Fellows is a source of huge pride for the new ownership and, they feel, an inspiration to others.

Over the past few years, the likes of Morgan Rogers, Tim Iroegbunam and Nathan Ferguson have all been tempted away by rival clubs. Patel wants that to change.

“It’s really exciting that this club has a Category One academy that is well regarded,” he says. “We see that as an important part of growing the club and sustaining it.

“We want more children to grow up in this area to follow Tom’s path. We want the academy to be that place where they feel it can happen.

“There’s something special about those stories. We see some other young players that we think are going to be capable of helping the club pretty soon.”

The right side of the rules

Albion also intend to develop a system of identifying young talent with high potential from overseas, utilising data and analytics.

The goal is to discover unpolished gems and sell them on for a substantial profit, with the Football League’s Profit & Sustainability [P&S] rules a concern for the majority of Championship clubs.

Those rules are a frequent subject of discussion, with Albion one of a number broadly favouring the Squad Cost Rules which permit clubs to spend 85 per cent of their revenue on transfers and wages. A resolution is expected before Christmas.

“The shortcomings and holes in the system is a growing conversation,” says Patel.

“Everybody is made to play by the same rules and we understand that. Having a plan for P&S was a big part of our process coming in.

“We didn’t want good work on improving the squad and making us more competitive to be undone by penalties that are avoidable.

“We are very focused on making sure we’re on the right side of the rules.

“It’s not been easy, but navigating P&S, certainly for this year, is one of the competitive skills that every club has to develop.”

Patel says that the two outstanding loans will be resolved soon.

“We don’t plan to keep them in place forever. We’re working strategically on the right way to deal with it.

“We also have clarity on the 2014 loan and, as with the MSD loan, we’ll be looking at the right time to address that.”

Previously the founder and chief executive of HealthAxis Group, a software company based in Tampa, Patel worked closely with his father, Dr Kiran, to complete the buyout.

A father of three children, family values were an integral part of Patel’s upbringing and another added attraction in buying West Brom.

Last weekend, tragedy provided another reminder of the club’s community spirit when fan Mark Townsend died during the match at Sheffield Wednesday.

Aged 57, Townsend was a season ticket holder and in the 57th minute of Tuesday’s home match against Middlesbrough all four sides of the Hawthorns united in applause. Miles also paid a visit to Sheffield’s Northern General Hospital on Saturday to attend to his family.

“It’s always meaningful to see the West Brom family spring into action in a difficult time,” says Patel.

“There was a reaction and a swell of support from the fan community locally and around the world.

“Even inside this building, the immediate conversations were ‘what do we do? How do we respect and honour a member of our family?’ From the moment it happened the game became secondary.

“Around the club and the community there is just this desire to be there for one another.”

Patel will be in attendance for Saturday’s home game against Millwall before flying back to the States early next week.

Despite having a number of other businesses to concentrate on, West Brom will never be far from his thoughts.

“In these early stages I think it’s very important to be a part of what’s going on. It’s about knowing that over time the right things are in place,” he says.

“I’ve been to England nine times since February. It’s been a great adventure for the family.

“My kids have really enjoyed the experience. My wife has also been very supportive and had the opportunity to come here and experience what it means to the fans and community.

“One thing I’ve learned very quickly is that I’ve given up predicting results in the Championship!”