James Morrison backs Conor Townsend to raise standards and push Callum Styles | OneFootball

James Morrison has backed returning Conor Townsend to challenge Callum Styles and raise training standards at West Brom.

Albion impressed in a 4-1 friendly win at League Two Shrewsbury on Saturday, with new attacker Jimmy-Jay Morgan scoring twice and involved in the other two. According to ExpressAndStar.com, Townsend, 33, became the club’s fifth summer signing last week as he rejoined after two years at Ipswich.

Townsend made more than 200 appearances across six seasons in his first spell. In Suffolk his chances shrank, latterly due to an ACL injury that left him without Championship minutes last season.

Morrison values Townsend’s approach in training and expects him to push the group and aid younger players. He wants competition and hungry players, and says high standards should lift performance levels.

Styles missed just one Championship match last season and collected two Albion player of the season awards. Townsend assumes the role filled by last season’s loanee Charlie Taylor as back-up at left-back.

On his recovery, Townsend has trained since March and last played competitively in April 2025. His last Albion outing was the play-off semi-final defeat at Southampton in May 2024.

He could feature on Saturday in the final pre-season friendly at League One Peterborough’s London Road. Morrison urged his squad to push themselves and be ready physically for a difficult start. He noted fatigue after a hard training week and said he was encouraged by a late 3-1 training-ground defeat to Notts County, with young players driving each other.

Source: ExpressAndStar.com