QPR handed West Brom a class act for £6m | OneFootball

Matt Phillips joined West Brom for £6million in 2016 and became a standout player at the Hawthorns over the next eight years

Matt Phillips' time at West Brom came to an end in the summer when he was released, bringing down the curtain on what was a successful eight-year spell at The Hawthorns.

The 33-year-old has landed on his feet, joining fellow Championship outfit Oxford United, and while it was probably the right time to move on, many West Brom supporters would have been disappointed to see the versatile Scotland international leave.

Phillips began his career at Wycombe Wanderers before joining Premier League side Blackpool in 2010, earning a move to QPR in 2013.

However, it was his move from QPR to West Brom in 2016 that allowed Phillips to enjoy some of the best days of his playing career, and it's fair to say that the Baggies struck gold with their decision to sign him.

QPR handed West Brom a class act for £6million in the form of Matt Phillips

Phillips spent three seasons at QPR, one of those in the Premier League, but it was the 2015/16 season in the Championship which convinced the Baggies to sign him in July 2016.

He scored eight goals and registered five assists in 44 appearances for the Hoops that season, and West Brom saw fit to part with £6million to bring him to The Hawthorns.

It was a substantial fee, and it remained to be seen if Phillips would live up to the price-tag, but he certainly did so over the next eight years.

The Baggies were a stable Premier League side at this point in time, looking to retain their status in the top-flight, and manager Tony Pulis was clearly delighted to get his signing over the line.

He told The Guardian: "We’re really pleased to have Matty on board. This is a great chance for him to show everyone he belongs in the top flight of English football."

He certainly did that the following season, scoring five times and registering eight assists in 27 appearances as his side finished 10th in the Premier League.

However, he couldn't prevent his side from getting relegated the following season, but unsurprisingly, he played an important role for the Baggies in the Championship.

Five goals and six assists helped his side to the Championship play-offs in 2019, before seven goals and five assists the following year helped his side to automatic promotion.

Phillips could always be relied on to chip in with goals and assists, and the way he helped his side win promotion to the Premier League ensured he was worth every penny of the £6million fee.

Despite being relegated from the Premier League in 2021, Phillips put pen-to-paper on a fresh deal at the Hawthorns, taking him to the summer of 2024 and showing his commitment to the club.

While he wasn't starting every game during his last couple of seasons at the club, he still played an important role up until his final game in May 2024, and is certainly remembered fondly at The Hawthorns as excellent value for the £6million fee.

In total, he made 255 appearances for the club, scoring 31 goals and registering 31 assists, showing that QPR handed the Baggies a class act.

Matt Phillips will be looking to show he's still got it at Oxford United

Phillips is now 33, and it's safe to assume his best days are behind him, but he's still a good option at Championship level and Oxford United pulled off a coup to secure his signature in the summer.

For a newly-promoted side, adding players with the experience of Phillips is hugely important, and Des Buckingham seems to have realised that by bringing him in.

Similarly to his last couple of seasons at West Brom, Phillips hasn't started all that regularly for The U's, but with the busy festive period just around the corner, you can expect him to feature often as he looks to help Oxford United remain in the Championship.

Phillips missed out on their 1-1 draw with his former side West Brom in October, but he'll be hoping to be in contention when they travel to The Hawthorns for the reverse fixture in February.

Given his eight years of service to the club, Albion supporters will no doubt hope he features, and he'll likely receive a warm reception from home support if he does so.