West Bromwich Albion’s 2025/26 season was statistically their worst in 25 years, according to their league finish, and when James Morrison takes over as permanent manager at The Hawthorns, things are getting back on track in the Black Country.
West Brom averted relegation to the League. Last season, they barely made it out of the relegation zone and appeared to be on the verge of relegation.
Ryan Mason kicked out the year, and though he put up a fight, results proved to be too erratic and more bad than good, as he was replaced by Welsh coach Eric Ramsay, and it would be fair to assume that his stint in charge was even worse.
By the time he arrived, the Baggies were only one point above the bottom three, and despite a two-point deduction, he was able to keep his previous team afloat.
Now, the Scot looks to stamp his authority on the club with some new additions, having signed both Jimmy-Jay Morgan from Chelsea and Carter Pinnington from Liverpool, and has made the tough decision to allow 24-year-old home-grown keeper Joshua Griffiths to leave the club, as the Englishman has since taken to social media to bid farewell to the club after 14 years of service.
Morgan Rogers and Alex Palmer were among those who responded to Josh Griffiths’ West Brom parting message.
Griffiths joined West Brom as a child and worked his way up the ranks at The Hawthorns to the first squad, but his route to the top spot was not easy.
Loan spells with Cheltenham Town, Lincoln City, Portsmouth, and Bristol Rovers ultimately allowed the Englishman to establish himself as the club’s first choice at the start of last season.
Unfortunately for Griffiths, he was unable to take advantage of the opportunity, as Mason replaced him with Joe Wildsmith following a succession of poor performances.
Wildsmith also struggled to produce, and as the January window rolled around, Max O’Leary was brought in from division rivals Bristol City, and has since signed a deal until 2029 to become their permanent number one, forcing Griffiths to leave.
Matt Ingram’s arrival from Oxford United proved to be the final nail in the coffin for Griffiths, who has now relocated nearly an hour north to Stoke City, completing a deal worth over £600,000, and has subsequently went to Instagram to bid farewell to the Baggies.
Griffiths expresses his pride in having represented West Brom, thanks his family and partner for their sacrifices, and then thanks the staff, his teammates, and finally the supporters.
Morgan Rogers, Daryl Dyke, and Alex Palmer have all sent messages of support to the 24-year-old.
Rogers stated, “A time was had.”
Dyke said: “All the best broski🤞🏿❤️.”
Palmer stated, “💙💙💙.”
Rogers went through the West Brom development system with Griffiths before moving on to Manchester City, Middlesbrough, and now Aston Villa, where he has established himself as a true superstar.
Dyke had injuries throughout his stay at the club and has since been released as a free agent, while Palmer left Albion in January 2025 to join Ipswich Town.
Each has taken their time saying goodbye to Griffiths, who is preparing to push Viktor Johansson for the top slot at Stoke in the next part of his career.
How have West Brom fans responded to Josh Griffiths leaving the Baggies?
Griffiths made just 45 first-team appearances during his 14-year spell with West Brom, but he was never able to secure a starting spot in the Black Country, as Baggies fans had hoped.
Many people have resorted to social media to express their reactions to the news, and the overall sentiment is rather uniform.
There appears to be no ill will among West Brom supporters towards Griffiths following his departure, with many, including this fan, being more sad that his stint at the club did not work out than that he opted to leave.
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