West Bromwich Albion handed teenager Matthew Crowther his first senior start under James Morrison in a pre-season friendly against Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.

The Baggies boss fielded two different sides in each half as Albion kicked off their pre-season with a 3-0 behind-closed-doors win over the Owls. Crowther played the opening 45 minutes, helping Morrison’s men go in 2-0 up at half-time thanks to goals from Krystian Bielik and Jimmy-Jay Morgan. League standing: 21st in Championship, 51 pts, 13W-14D-19L from 46 games, recent form LDWWD.

Who is Matthew Crowther?

Matty Crowther is a 6ft 3ins left-footed midfielder who only turned 19 in December. He was one of five academy players given starts against Sheffield Wednesday, yet remains the least experienced senior figure among them. Crowther had never played above Sunday league football in the north east before his grandmother — a close friend of Morrison’s mum — asked the Baggies boss to give him a chance.

He joined Albion’s under-16s in 2023/24 after a family link convinced Morrison to take a look. The move paid off quickly. Crowther signed a scholarship that summer, then starred at under-18 level before breaking into Richard Beale’s under-21s. His first under-21 goal came at The Hawthorns while still 16, a strike that announced his arrival.

How did Crowther rise through the ranks?

Crowther’s 2023/24 season ended with the club’s academy player-of-the-season award. He steered the under-18s to an FA Youth Cup quarter-final, then landed his first professional contract last summer running until next summer. His breakthrough campaign in Premier League 2 saw 12 appearances and five in domestic cups, plus continental runouts in the Premier League International Cup.

A stress fracture kept him sidelined from before Christmas until March. Now fully fit, Crowther has travelled with the first team to Portugal for pre-season, marking his rapid rise from Silksworth CW Juniors on Wearside to Albion’s senior squad.

What did the club say about Crowther?

Richard Beale, then under-21 boss, told the Express & Star two years ago: “James Morrison knew Matt through family connections up north. He’s a real find — a good lad with real potential. His goal was fantastic: he brushed off a player three or four years older, played a through ball, kept going and got his reward.”

Morrison himself has praised Crowther’s work ethic and technical ability, calling him a player who “can run all day” and fits Albion’s style under his management. The teenager’s physical profile and left-foot control give him a clear role in Morrison’s midfield plans.

West Bromwich Albion sit 21st in the Championship with 51 points from 46 games, four points clear of the relegation zone and 44 behind leaders Coventry. Crowther’s first-team debut could come sooner rather than later if he continues to impress in pre-season.