West Brom fans will love how Dara O’Shea reacted to Conor Townsend signing | OneFootball

The former Baggies captain has reacted to Conor Townsend returning to The Hawthorns.

West Brom will be hopeful of a much more positive 2026-27 campaign after securing their Championship safety under James Morrison last term.

And in an attempt to get back into the promotion mix, the Black Country outfit have made movements in the summer transfer window, securing four new signings to bolster the squad so far.

The Baggies kicked off their spending with the addition of forward Barney Stewart from Falkirk, then announcing the arrival of Liverpool defender Carter Pinnington, although the former Reds man will originally be placed into Albion’s U21’s setup for development.

Meanwhile, Albion’s third is of exciting Chelsea youngster Jimmy-Jay Morgan, with Albion spending an up-front fee of £1.3m to secure his services, while add-ons could take it to as high as £4m.

Recently, the Black Country outfit claimed their fourth capture of the window, which sees a familiar face return to B71 in Conor Townsend.

It’s a signing that has caused some divide amongst Albion supporters, with Townsend now 33-years-old and coming off the back of a serious ACL injury that wrecked his chances of making any impact at Ipswich Town.

Joining back on a free transfer, Townsend is expected to be second choice behind Callum Styles, but adds vital second tier experience after playing 170 times at this level for the Baggies.

News of his arrival came late into yesterday evening, with Albion spreading the news all over their social media pages.

And on their Instagram, former West Brom academy graduate and club captain Dara O’Shea commented on Townsend’s return, which Baggies supporters are bound to love.

West Brom confirmed that Conor Townsend has returned to The Hawthorns on a free transfer, penning a one-year deal at the club after a two-year stint at Ipswich Town, although much of that was spent on the treatment table after suffering an ACL injury.

Speaking to Albion’s official website on the move, Townsend said: “It’s an amazing feeling. I’m delighted to be back.

“Everyone knows how much I loved it here the first time and it has been a big part of my life and my career so far, so I’m delighted to get the chance to come back.

“It means a lot. This is the club that gave me my chance at a high level and I’ve got so many good memories here, like getting to the Premier League and making my Premier League debut.

“It’s always going to be a club that holds a special place in my heart, so to have the chance to come back is amazing.

“It’s only been two years since I left but there has been a lot of change in the squad. I’ve managed to see the lads today, so it’s been brilliant to catch up and I can’t wait to get started.

“Experience is a big thing now, so I hope to bring that and leadership to the squad. It’s a younger group than it was when I was here the first time, so if I can help the younger boys in any way then I’ll do my very best to do that.”

Meanwhile, reaction has poured in on social media to Townsend making his return to B71, with Dara O’Shea one of those to post on West Brom’s Instagram, something Albion supporters are bound to love seeing.

The Ipswich defender commented: “Love it bud, back home 😍💙.”

When analysing West Brom’s squad, depth at left-back was an area that needed addressing, particularly after the exit of loanee Charlie Taylor.

Callum Styles penning a new long-term contract is a clear intention that he is the firm number one choice to start the season at left-back, but having the presence of an experienced defender and familiar face will keep him on his toes with that added competition.

There will be some concerns over Townsend's fitness given the defender played just 10 times over two seasons at Portman Road and is now 33, with Baggies fans worried he may not be the dependable option he once was at The Hawthorns.

But the truth is that Albion did not want to spend too much money on a backup left-back, with the club needing to spend more critical funds on regular first-team starters, particularly out wide as Mikey Johnston and Ollie Bostock remain Albion’s only recognised wingers on the books at this moment in time.

The Baggies will be hopeful that Townsend doesn’t have to play too much of a crucial role in Albion’s season, but if an injury was to happen to Styles or in midfield that meant the Hungarian international had to go into the middle of the park, then someone else is there to step into the team, and particularly someone who has extensive Championship experience and who Albion fans know what to expect from.