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Josh Griffiths had to bide his time, but 13 years after joining West Brom, he can finally lay claim to being the club’s No 1 keeper.
It’s been a long journey for Griffiths, who has always been highly rated and was part of England’s Under 21 Euros-winning squad in 2023, with the 6ft 1ins stopper developing on four separate loan spells after first being around Albion’s senior squad when he was 17.
‘Yeah, I’m loving life,’ Griffiths, now 23, tells Daily Mail Sport. ‘It’s something that’s been my goal ever since I started to train with the first team.
‘To be in a position where I'm playing is a massively proud moment and I really want to establish myself and make the spot mine.’
Griffiths impressed across spells at Cheltenham Town, Lincoln City, Portsmouth and Bristol Rovers during his formative years, racking up 146 senior experiences before he broke into Albion’s team during the second half of last season after Alex Palmer, another former academy goalkeeper, was sold to Ipswich.
Griffiths’ breakthrough comes during a period of quiet revolution for West Brom, with a new-look side developing under a rookie manager in Ryan Mason following a summer of change.
Josh Griffiths, 23, has established himself as West Brom's No 1 after joining the club aged 10
Griffiths' breakthrough comes at a time of change for Albion under new boss Ryan Mason
Long-serving stalwarts like Kyle Bartley, Semi Ajayi and Grady Diangana were among the departures with a recent focus instead on bringing in younger unheralded stars and developing them, all the while decreasing the wage bill.
A prime example of this was Norwegian defender Torbjorn Heggem, who earlier this month was sold to Bologna for a fee rising to £10milion a year after being plucked from Swedish side IF Brommpojkarna for around £600,000. That transfer is testament to the plan under owners Bilkul Football.
The squad’s average age has also come down with Aune Heggebo (24), George Campbell (24) and Toby Collyer (21) all arriving, but Bilkul have not been afraid to add experience through Nat Phillips (28) and Krystian Bielik (27).
That business follows the signing of Isaac Price, 21, from Standard Liege in January and he has already developed into one of the most exciting midfielders in the division.
‘The change has been good,’ adds Griffiths, who has 22 West Brom appearances to his name after making his debut in February 2023. ‘The lads that left were excellent but the lads that have come in have also had a positive impact on the group.
‘We're working on the training pitch, in meetings and with video analysis to improve our relationships as much as possible.’
It’s been a decent start to the campaign for the Baggies with two wins and one draw in their first three league games.
At the heart of that has been Mason, one of the most exciting appointments in the EFL this summer after developing as a coach over seven years at Tottenham after he was forced to retire at the age of 26 due to injury.
Griffiths has impressed with his performances so far this season after getting his chance
He previously developed over four separate loan spells, including one at Cheltenham Town
Mason, 34, worked alongside Mauricio Pochettino, Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte and Ange Postecoglou in north London, and he also enjoyed two stints in interim charge, becoming the youngest manager of a Premier League team at the age of 29 in the process.
He has impressed with his demeanour - although he was sent off following two controversial decisions that went against Albion in their draw with Portsmouth on Saturday - while his tactical changes have been impactful.
In the recent 3-2 victory at Wrexham, Mason introduced Mikey Johnston and Jed Wallace off the bench when the score was 1-1. Within 10 minutes, Johnston had two assists and Wallace netted with his first touch.
It is clear the former midfielder, whose name is already being sung at The Hawthorns, is making an impression.
‘He's been really good,’ Griffiths explains. ‘He is really detailed on and off the pitch and we benefit from that as a team.
‘No stones go unturned and we are all very clear on what he wants. As a player you know what's being asked of you, and it's down to you to go out there and execute the plans, which is all you can ask for.
‘It's still early days and there’s plenty to work on, but it’s been a solid start and we’re moving in the right direction.’
Although expectations of promotion are not what they once were as the Baggies embark on their fifth consecutive season in the Championship, there are still high hopes.
Griffiths praised the impact Mason has already made and highlighted his attention to detail
The 23-year-old (left) was part of England's Under 21 Euros-winning squad back in 2023
Much of that positivity is driven by the ownership, led by US businessman Shilen Patel after his group rescued the club from the ruinous previous regime of Guochuan Lai in February 2024.
At the time, there were worries about Albion’s financial future and Bilkul have been credited for improving the club’s PSR position and general stability.
Bilkul are hands-on with Patel often seen at games despite being based in Florida - and there is a belief around the club they are on the right track.
‘There's definitely a feel-good factor and a good energy around the stadium,’ Griffiths says. ‘The club's taking steps in the right direction and the new owners have been brilliant.
‘We see them quite a lot which is nice and you can sense the positivity with the atmosphere at the stadium. It's a good place to play when it’s rocking.’
Griffiths’ development into West Brom’s No 1 keeper at the age of 23 is testament to his character and ability.
He may have thought he had made it after playing 10 times during the 2022-23 campaign but Griffiths served as No 2 the following year and was then sent out on loan again before his persistence paid off last season.
The 23-year-old credits his loan spells and the impact of senior players, most notably former Baggies defender Kyle Bartley, as crucial in his development.
There is a good feeling around West Brom under owners Bilkul Football (above - chairman Shilen Patel)
Griffiths credits Kyle Bartley, one stalwart to depart this summer after retiring, as a key factor in his development as a young keeper coming through the ranks at The Hawthorns
His presence in the team is also proof of West Brom’s thriving academy, with fellow graduate Tom Fellows now one of the best wingers in the Championship, while Caleb Taylor is also around the squad. England star Morgan Rogers was in the same age group until he was poached by Man City at the age of 16.
Griffiths is affable company throughout our conversation, and he is hugely ambitious, although his frustration at how last season ended is clear.
The Baggies had been in the play-off spots for much of the campaign but a dramatic collapse in form during the run-in that saw them lose five games in six meant the club missed out on the top six.
‘It was a massive disappointment,’ a determined Griffiths adds. ‘We were in a great place but then falling away at crunch time was a real shame.
‘Hopefully we'll be in a similar position again this year and we've got that experience under our belt to go and get the job done in those big games.’
Next up for Griffiths and the Baggies is a trip to Championship pacesetters Stoke, who have three wins from three.
Griffiths is aware of the task at hand, but he is confident his side have what it takes to compete with the best teams in the division.
‘With the players we’ve brought in and the mix of youth and experience, we’ve got a great group,’ he says. ‘We all get along really well off the pitch which is massive and we’re in a good place after a pretty good start to the season. We've got to aim to be up there.
‘It’s a massive game on Saturday but we should take great confidence in where we're at so let's have a right go and see where we end up this season.’
The Baggies have started the season well with two wins and a draw in three league games
Imps continue to innovate
It’s been a positive start to the campaign for Lincoln City and the Imps continue to impress off the pitch too.
In the latest Fan Engagement Index for the 2024-25 season, Lincoln ranked joint-second alongside Carlisle United, with supporter-owned Exeter City taking home first place.
The Index measures how clubs across the Premier League and EFL involve and communicate with their supporters, focusing on dialogue, governance and transparency.
Lincoln received a Gold award and ranked particularly highly on the transparency and dialogue metrics - and the achievement is another tip of the hat to a club known for doing things differently.
Lincoln City continue to impress off the pitch after receiving a Gold award in the Fan Engagement Index
Lampard adds his goalscoring touch
In an era when expected goals dominates debates, Coventry’s 7-1 demolition of QPR on Saturday with an xG of 1.26 set tongues wagging.
It followed the Sky Blues racking up an xG of 3.2 at Derby during a 5-3 victory the week prior in what has been an impressive start to the season which has also seen the club purchase their home stadium, the Coventry Building Society Arena, for the first time since it was built.
Frank Lampard’s impact since taking the managerial job last October has been magnificent with 20 wins in 38 games, and given his side’s clinicality, maybe his status as the seventh-highest scorer in Premier League history is rubbing off on his players.
