Barnes sets his sights on Albion bow

Albion new-boy Giles Barnes has set his sights on playing this season and helping the club to promotion.

The 21-year-old helped break Baggies hearts in the play-offs three seasons ago, crossing for Stephen Pearson to score the only goal for Derby in the Wembley play-off final of 2007.

But now Barnes is desperate to help his new club reach the top-flight, after they gave him the chance to rebuild his injury-hit career.

He said: "Derby were quite lucky that year if we're honest. We got battered on the day but the game is to score goals and that's what Derby did.

"But if it goes down to the wire again this year hopefully I can be putting in the cross for West Brom. Hopefully I can show them exactly what I showed the Derby fans that year and carry on to produce some more.

"I've had two or three injury problems but hopefully they're all behind me. I'm grateful for the chance I have been given and hopefully I can show everyone what I am capable of again.

"It's a great club with a great manager. The facilities are really good and I love all the medical staff that have been working with me. Everything has been really good and I am just looking forward to getting involved with the team.

"When I came here all the boys were really good and I got a kind of homely feeling when I stepped through the doors."

Barnes has suffered almost three years of injury hell, culminating in his release by Derby in December. But the winger has been training with Albion for more than a month and has now been handed an 18-month contract.

The player is hoping to regain full fitness before the end of the season but is refusing to set any specific targets.

He said: "I've just got to get back, play every game I can and train every training session. When you've missed a lot of football like I have in patches over the last two years, you just want to play and train every day.

"Even when I came back in pre-season for Derby I managed to play nine or 10 games and I was doing well, so if I can get that back – and I am 110 per cent sure I can – everything is going to be fine."