Robert Earnshaw: I hit hat-trick and wanted out of West Brom
His hat-trick against Charlton was integral to Albion going on to secure their great escape.
But Robert Earnshaw has revealed he was actually contemplating leaving the Baggies that day.
It was on March 19, 2005, that Earnshaw came off the bench to net his impressive treble.
Those goals sparked a run that saw Bryan Robson’s side lose just twice in eight Premier League outings – with that form seeing them defy the odds to secure survival.
But having often found himself behind Kevin Campbell, Nwankwo Kanu and Geoff Horsfield in the pecking order that season, Earshaw revealed being named on the bench that day made him seriously contemplate leaving the club.
“I wanted to leave West Brom,” Earnshaw said when recalling that day.
“The team was named, I’m on the bench I’d been playing well the last few weeks, and I was so disappointed.
“I thought maybe someone somewhere else wants to play me all the time and can allow me to score goals.
“I remember before the game – you’re professional and focused, but you’re a human being and I remember thinking ‘I probably have to move here’.
“I remember walking on the pitch before the game and thinking that. Obviously after an hour you switch and then you have to play the best you could. I came on for the last 20 minutes and scored a hat-trick in about 17 minutes.
“The memories were great because that was a game we had to win.
“Charlton were in and around us, and we needed points because we were into the final few games and were bottom.
“I come on at 1-1, and then I score one, two, three and it ends up 4-1. It was a great feeling.”
Elsewhere, former Baggies boss Alan Pardew left Dutch side ADO Den Haag by mutual consent yesterday evening. He was appointed on Christmas Eve 2019.
