West Brom pulled a blinder with Rochdale transfer but Wolves connection has tarnished it since

West Brom pulled a blinder with Rochdale transfer but Wolves connection has tarnished it since

Craig Dawson, the centre defender, is undoubtedly one of West Bromwich Albion’s many inexpensive acquisitions

during the team’s history.

Few Albion supporters could have predicted the quick ascent he would have in the Black Country after dropping

from the fourth division when the Baggies acquired the imposing central defender from then-League Two team

Rochdale in 2010.

Despite having a bitter finish, the 34-year-old would go on to have a mostly successful career with the Baggies; but,

his eventual transfer to Wolves, fierce rivals in the Black Country, will surely have permanently damaged his Albion legacy.

Football League World looks back on his time at The Hawthorns and how people’s perceptions changed after he eventually joined Wolves.

Craig Dawson’s career at West Brom

After completing his permanent move, Dawson would return to the Dale on loan from West Brom and secure

additional loan action with Bolton Wanderers while he waited patiently to make his first team debut.

Dawson gained crucial EFL experience before playing his first games in a blue and white shirt towards the close of

the 2013–14 season. He played in nine of the last ten top division games as Albion barely survived in the Premier

League under Pepe Mel.

The following season, under the direction of Alan Irvine and Tony Pulis, Dawson had his first significant

breakthrough, starting 29 games and scoring two goals.

For the next two seasons under the Welsh coach, the Rochdale-born defender would go on to miss just one Premier

League game, notching four goals in each term with his attacking prowess from set pieces continuously improving.

During the Baggies’ relegation back to the second division, Dawson would make 29 appearances for the team.

However, his stay began to go south when he filed a formal transfer request and insisted on rejoining a Premier

League team.

Dawson changed his mind and played for Albion for a final season as they earned a play-off spot under interim

manager Jimmy Shan after declining to travel on Albion’s preseason tour to Portugal because Burnley, Everton and

West Ham expressed interest. West Brom didn’t receive an offer that came close to their £20 million asking price.

Dawson would net the equalising goal in their play-off clash with Aston Villa in the second leg, but the Baggies were

edged out in a penalty shootout, and Dawson’s spell came to an end, moving to Watford for a reported £5.5 million

in the summer of 2019.

Craig Dawson’s controversial switch to Black Country rivals Wolves

After leaving The Hawthorns, Dawson had a brief stint at Vicarage Road before making the permanent switch to

West Ham following an initial loan. However, two years later, in the January transfer window of 2023, Dawson

would leave for Wolves, West Brom’s fierce local rivals.

Given that the Baggies had initially provided Dawson with the platform to establish himself in the top flight, Dawson

effectively lost the support of his former supporters with this transfer decision after already inciting dissatisfaction

among the Albion supporters with his transfer request and his refusal to remain at the club for another season of

Championship football.

During the FA Cup match between Albion and Wolves last season, Dawson was continuously jeered and booed in a

nasty manner, underscoring his lack of popularity in those areas due to the betrayal displayed by donning the

enemy’s black and gold colours.

All love is lost in that relationship with the way the story ended, and Baggies supporters will hope to see Dawson and

Wolves suffer from similar relegation issues in the top flight, even though the defender was a top signing from the

Baggies for a nominal fee and helped them achieve some memorable seasons in the Premier League.

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