Comment: A celebration of Chris Brunt as he stands on the verge of huge West Brom milestone

It is a special list littered with players who transcend legendary status, players who have become so entwined with the fabric of the club, they practically define it.

There are heroes from the 1970s many can still recall watching, like Tony Brown, Ally Robertson, and John Wile.

There are winners from the generation before like Bobby Hope, greats from the 1950s who are now beginning to fade from memory like Ronnie Allen, Ray Barlow and Len Millard.

And then there are those founding fathers who have now entered almost mythical status, like Jesse Pennington and Tommy Magee.

But that esteemed company of gentlemen will soon have another member among its ranks.

Chris Brunt is just two games away from this 400th appearance for the Baggies and could even hit that mark next week.

Against Norwich on Saturday, he clocked up his 30,000th minute of football in an Albion shirt, or 500th hour if you prefer.

Brunt’s longevity is a remarkable feat in this modern world of constantly-changing managers and constantly-changing dressing rooms.

Since being signed 11-and-a-half years ago by Tony Mowbray, nine full-time managers have picked him.

Some of those, including the current incumbent, have chosen to make him captain.

There have been ups and down along that journey, that’s only natural.

But Brunt’s relentless ability to force himself into contention, to make himself relevant, regardless of the manager, has been a credit to him.

In some ways, his versatility has occasionally had an unfairly detrimental impact on his reputation.

Whether it’s left-back, left-wing, central midfield or even right-back, Brunt is so capable of filling in adequately that managers have often played him out of position.

This season is a case in point. Darren Moore attempted to build his team around his club captain, who he initially saw as the deep-lying playmaker at the base of midfield.

It wasn’t always the most natural fit, but it’s testament to his ability that it was even a possibility.

Since switching to a 4-3-3 formation, and following some time out of the spotlight, Brunt looks far more comfortable on the left-hand side of the three.

An impressive performance against Sheffield Wednesday in the final game of 2018 was backed up by a dominant display over Wigan Athletic in the FA Cup.

What Moore saw was a player both capable and willing to play the tough pass forward, instead of simply recycling possession sideways with an easy pass like other midfielders can be guilty of.

Brunt occasionally misplaces passes, but it’s because he’s playing high-risk, high-reward balls.

It is interesting that a number of Albion’s former players, including some who have played as many games as him, noted how strong the left-hand side was against Wednesday and commended Brunt’s willingness to play the difficult ball.

That position, on the left-hand side of a midfield three, plays more to his strengths.

His off-field influence is also important. While the world caved in on Albion last season, Brunt was one of the men who refused to accept it in the dressing room.

He then became a crucial component of Moore's rejuvenation towards the end of the season.

The most recent addition to the 400 club came more than 20 years ago when goalkeeper Stuart Naylor hit that mark, but you have to go back to the days of Wile and Robertson for the last outfield player.

Brunt isn’t unique of course. He has James Morrison alongside him on 335 games, and Morrison deserves just as much credit for making himself undroppable.

Both have also come back from serious injuries at difficult points of their career.

Brunt suffered damage to his knee ligaments that cruelly ruled him out of Euro 2016, and Morrison has returned from a career-threatening Achilles injury last summer.

But as player trading becomes ever more prevalent, it does feel like these two are marking the end of a bygone era.

And in decades to come, once the immediate demand of winning games fades, Brunt will no doubt be celebrated and eulogised in much the same way as the other 15 who have reached the 400 club.