"Underrated" - West Brom, Ipswich Town deal produced unexpected Hawthorns legend | OneFootball

The defender went on to have a stellar Premier League career after moving to the Black Country

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

While there will have been plenty of signings in West Bromwich Albion’s history that came with plenty of fanfare, often it can be the players that came in under the radar that can have the biggest impact at a club.

While the Baggies may have splashed the cash on attacking talent during their Premier League days, their top flight credentials were often underpinned by players who had been brought to the Black Country for peanuts and continued to fight tooth and nail week after week.

Gareth McAuley can consider himself one of those that was unheralded as he made the move to the Hawthorns back in 2011, before going on to establish himself as a regular in the side during his seven-year tenure at the club.

With over 200 appearances in that time, the often overlooked centre back hd a huge part to play in Albion’s success during the previous decade, and Football League World’s West Brom fan pundit Callum Burgess believes he is one of the most understated signings of recent times.

Gareth McAuley is unsung hero in West Bromwich Albion’s Premier League success

There wouldn’t have been many Albion fans shouting from the rooftops after McAuley made the move to the Hawthorns from Ipswich Town in the summer of 2011, with the 31-year-old having a steady career in the Football League for the majority of his playing days before that time.

Then-Albion boss Roy Hodgson had earmarked the defender as the perfect addition to a side who were holding their own in the top flight after promotion the previous summer, and he would go on to prove the future England manager right in so many ways.

With his dependability and professionalism at the back, McAuley epitomised a side who were more than the sum of their parts, as he formed a partnership alongside Liam Ridgewell at the back during his early days at the club.

Netting the winner against Chelsea in his first year with the club also showcased another side of his game; with his ability to get on the end of dead ball deliveries proving a vital weapon for the Baggies during his time with the club.

Players came and went, but McAuley stayed in his position in the centre of defence, having been something of a mainstay during his side’s time in the top flight, Burgess is confident the stoic defender is top of the list when it comes to unheralded heroes.

When asked about a signing who made the most impact after little hype on arrival, the Albion fan pundit said: “The most influential signing who came in under the radar who turned out to be a great performer for the club was, of course, Gareth McAuley many seasons ago.

“Arriving on a free transfer from Ipswich Town at the time, there would not have been much excitement seeing a player from the Championship on a free transfer coming to a Premier League team.

“There were a lot of fans thinking ‘what is this? A player in his 30s who has never played in the Premier League before’, but then it turned out that McAuley was one of the best signings that Albion would ever make.

“He turned out to an aerial threat off corners, scoring loads and loads of goals, and ended up being the club’s second-highest goalscorer when they finished in the top-half of the table in the 2016/17 season under Tony Pulis.

“He was a really underrated centre-back for many seasons, and arguable outside of West Brom, he never ended up gaining the credit that he really deserved.”

Gareth McAuley’s West Bromwich Albion impact

After that first season in which he featured in the majority of Albion games, McAuley would miss just two matches in the campaign to follow, as the Baggies finished in eighth spot in the Premier League.

With his body-on-the-line attitude towards defending, and leadership at the back, West Brom were as resolute as they came during the 2012/13 season, with a late strike against Liverpool to secure a win at Anfield continuing to add to his legacy at the Hawthorns.

Even as Steve Clarke and Pepe Mel took charge, McAuley was still as prominent as ever at the back, and offered a reassuring presence in his role, while the trials and tribulations at the club continued around him.

Six goals in the aforementioned 2016/17 campaign proved to be the Northern Irishman’s most clinical with the club, as his threat from set-pieces only grew as Tony Pulis took over matters in the Black Country.

The defender was the archetypal Pulis protege; a blood and snotters centre-back who will kick and head anything that comes his way, while posing a considerable threat when the inevitable bombardment comes at the other end of the pitch.

He came for nothing, he left for nothing, with priceless performances in between. He may not have been silky or sexy, but Gareth McAuley produced the goods whenever called upon, and will always be considered a Hawthorns hero.