Surprise former Sheffield Wednesday hero part of new-look West Brom setup

The 37-year-old played over 150 games for the Owls and helped them to promotion out of the third tier in 2005, but called time on his playing career last year as he decided to hang up his boots and turn to the coaching side of the game instead.

He’s been working as a youth coach at WBA since before his retirement announcement, and now it would appear that he’s having a say in first team matters while a decision is made on Bruce’s replacement.

The club said in their statement confirming Bruce’s exit that U21 coach, Richard Beale, will ‘oversee first-team affairs on an interim basis’, and that he would ‘be assisted by James Morrison and Gary Walsh’.

According to numerous reports in the media it would appear that ex-Owl Brunt is joining Morrison and Walsh as part of Beale’s current setup – though there’s been no word of in what capacity other than that he’s overseeing matters with his colleagues at present.

Beale, Brunt and Co. will have their first game in charge this weekend when they make the trip to Reading, and they only need one win to equal Bruce’s tally of victories for the season up to now.

The ex-Owls winger contributed 41 goals and assists during his time at Hillsborough, shining in the 2006/07 campaign before leaving for the Baggies – with whom he spent over a decade - in 2007.

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