West Brom goalkeeper David Button was left on the bench as a young Baggies team were defeated by Forest Green Rovers at the Fully Charged New Lawn Stadium, amid rumours of him departing the Hawthorns from the Express & Star.
Carlos Corberan picked a rather youthful side for the first of two friendlies this weekend, with the Baggies taking on Bolton Wanderers on 29 July and while Button was with the squad in Gloucestershire he was one of three substitutes to not take to the pitch.
The 34-year-old has had interest from both Reading and Sheffield Wednesday, but the Royals haven’t yet been able to secure his services as their finances are once again investigated amid financial fair play concerns.
Button has one year left on his current contract at the Hawthorns but is expected to depart the Midlands at some point this transfer window with Alex Palmer and Josh Griffiths set to compete for the place between the posts. The trip to Gloucestershire saw him warming up both Griffiths and young keeper Ted Cann.
Time is up
Whether Button’s next destination is one of the two clubs named above, it is clear his time at West Brom is coming to an end, with at least two keepers ahead of him in the pecking order and for his own good and career he should look for an opportunity elsewhere.
Corberan saw the defeat against League Two’s Forest Green as an opportunity to get a look at his options beyond his two first choice stoppers, suggesting he would sooner trust Cann between the posts.
The 34-year-old played only 13 times last season, with most of those appearances coming under the management of Steve Bruce rather than Corberan, conceding 19 goals as the Baggies sat near the bottom of the table.
Although he won’t be the biggest departure at the Hawthorns this summer, it is a sensible piece of business by those in charge, clearing some of the no longer required deadwood off of his wage bill.
It’s time to go.
