“How on earth did we spend £1m on him?” – West Brom fan pundit reacts as player departs

David Button has left West Bromwich Albion after three years of service at the Hawthorns to sign for League One crisis club Reading.

The Royals have been the subject of EFL transfer embargos twice already this season, but with the most recent one ending last week, they have moved quickly to secure the signature of Button.

The 34-year-old made just 33 appearances across his three seasons at West Brom, but is set to compete with Dean Bouzanis and Jokull Andresson for the no 1 jersey at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

Button is expected to be available for selection for Saturday’s League One fixture against Port Vale.

Who is David Button?

Button has predominantly been a second or third-choice goalkeeper throughout the latter years of his senior career.

After graduating from the Tottenham Hotspur academy, he enjoyed loan spells at the likes of AFC Bournemouth, Plymouth Argyle and Barnsley.

He signed permanently for Charlton Atheltic in 2012 but enjoyed the most successful period of his career in terms of playing time at Brentford between 2013 and 2016.

He won promotion to the Championship with the Bees in the 2013-14 season before signing for west London rivals Fulham in 2016.

After starting the 2016-17 season as first-choice goalkeeper, he eventually lost his place to Marcus Betinelli and has continued to be predominantly used as a back-up at subsequent clubs Brighton and Hove Albion and West Brom.

Button signed for Albion upon their most recent promotion to the Premier League in 2020 but has only featured sporadically since.

A regular in the cup competitions, he did earn some playing time in the Championship when Sam Johnstone decided to leave the Hawthorns on a free transfer in 2022, but FLW’s West Brom fan pundit Matt Smith believes Button was never quite up to the job and overstayed his welcome in the West Midlands.

He said: ”It is definitely the right move to offload David Button, he has been the worst goalkeeper I have ever seen at Albion.

“We’ve had some pretty decent goalies since I’ve been going, however Button was absolutely atrocious over a significant period of time too. How on earth did we spend £1m on him?

“How Steve Bruce gave him a two-year contract at the end of the 2021/22 season is beyond me. He’s so bad honestly. He can’t catch a bloody cold. He’s awful. I said we should have got Ben Foster back.

“I’m delighted we’ve got rid of him. I can’t believe there’s another club stupid enough to take him on to be honest with you.”

What is West Brom’s goalkeeping situation?

With Button departing, West Brom have been left with Alex Palmer and Josh Griffiths as their senior goalkeeping options.

Palmer started the 2-1 defeat against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park on the opening weekend of the Championship season and is set to be entrusted between the sticks by Carlos Corberan.

21-year-old Griffths scored an unfortunate own goal as a much-changed Albion side lost 2-1 at Stoke City in the first round of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday.