West Brom Fan View: What makes long-serving Chris Brunt a real Baggies fans' favourite

Chris Brunt has been a terrific servant for West Bromwich Albion, making over 300 appearances for the club and scoring 46 goals, most of them spectacular.

He may not be an automatic name on the team sheet these days, but he’s still an important player, performing admirably at left-back at times, also able to play wide or centrally in midfield.

In his time at Albion, he’s been club captain, had coins thrown at him and has scored some vital goals. It’s fair to say that he’s been through both good and bad times, he’s seen the lot.

The midfielder signed for West Brom from Sheffield Wednesday in August 2007, for a fee of £3m, after gaining something of a reputation for regularly finding the net from long-range.

He quickly became an integral part of the then manager Tony Mowbray’s team, a side looking for promotion to the Premier League after being relegated the season previously.

The Northern Ireland international played 34 times in that season, in which Albion won the the Championship and promotion back to the top flight.

WBA Fans will forever remember the goal that sealed promotion, in a 1-1 draw with Southampton at the Hawthorns. Needing a draw to guarantee promotion, the Saints took the lead through Adam Lallana and it was getting very nervy in our quest for the equaliser.

However, just six minutes from time, Chris Brunt got on the end of a cross from the right, controlled it, then blasted it home through the keepers legs. It was an incredibly important moment for the club and it still makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up watching it back.

The goal sparked wild celebrations from fans and players alike, with Brunt forever immortalised in Albion folklore with that strike.

The 32-year-old has a real wand of a left foot, capable of scoring incredible goals and providing excellent passes and crosses. Fans will remember memorable strikes against Villa, scoring from almost 40-yards against Middlesbrough and that free-kick against Everton at Goodison. There are just so many strikes to choose from.

His latest goal, the 2nd in a 2-0 victory against Sunderland, was yet another example of how to strike the ball with both power and finesse, what a strike.

Also, his two brilliant assists, both crosses from the left for Salomón Rondón against Swansea in December, reminded us just how effective his crosses can be.

Considering that he’s only just recovered from a dreadful cruciate ligament knee injury, returning only in September last year, Brunt has worked extremely hard to get back to full fitness.

I think it’s safe to say that Chris Brunt will go down in West Brom history, not just for his goals but also the way he conducts himself on and off the pitch, and he’s got a few years left in the tank yet.

Thanks Chris!

Boing Boing!