CHRIS Brunt was rewarded with an improved three-year deal, plus an extra year's option in the club's favour on August 27, 2009.

He joined Albion in a £3million deal from Sheffield Wednesday in August 2007.

The Northern Ireland international's price includes £500,000 of performance-related add-ons.

After finding it difficult to hold down a regular first-team place during the opening half of his first-ever Premier League season he established himself in the second half of the 2008/09 campaign.

A switch to the right-wing brought with it a flurry of goals as he netted five times in as many games towards the end of the season to finish as the Baggies' eight-goal top scorer.

Brunt bagged the ultimate honour when he was named Albion's official Player-of-the-Year, as voted by the management staff and his team-mates - beating off competition from Scotland international James Morrison and Slovenia skipper Robert Koren, who finished as runners-up.

He also blossomed on the international scene and fired his first-ever Northern Ireland goal in their 3-0 World Cup qualifying away win over San Marino. 

Although in and out of the side during his first season (2007/08) at The Hawthorns his assists proved invaluable in helping the Baggies smash 109 goals throughout the campaign.

His point-saving strike as a substitute in the penultimate league game against Southampton effectively sealed Albion's automatic promotion to the Premier League.

And he put the icing on the cake with a cracking second goal in the final-day 2-0 win at QPR to secure the Championship crown, just days after celebrating the birth of his first child.

Brunt began his career as a trainee at Middlesbrough before joining the Owls in April 2004 following a successful month-long loan spell.

During 2006/07, the Belfast-born ace recorded his biggest goal tally for a season by netting ten times in 44 Championship games, including two as a substitute, to help Brian Laws' men finish ninth.

He has forged a reputation for scoring spectacular goals and even notched from close to the halfway line with an audacious lob for the Owls at Leeds.

In total, Brunt made 153 appearances, including 30 as a sub, for Wednesday, scoring 24 times.

The 6ft1in midfield dynamo also had ten international caps to his name before joining the Baggies.

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(LAST UPDATED ON SEPTEMBER 4, 2009)