Albion further strengthen recruitment structure
ALBION are delighted to announce the appointment of Mervyn Day as Head of Recruitment.
The 59-year-old arrives after leaving his role as head of scouting and recruitment at Brighton at the end of last season.
He also has coaching experience in the Premier League, having worked as Alan Curbishley’s No.2 at Charlton and West Ham.
Day will immediately take up his new position to further strengthen the recruitment structure at the Club.
And he will work closely with new Technical Director Terry Burton, who officially returned to The Hawthorns last month, and new Head Coach Alan Irvine.
Burton said: “I’m delighted we have been able to appoint Mervyn.
“He is well-respected in the game and scouts who have worked under him speak highly of him as a man of integrity and trust.
“He comes here with a wealth of experience and knowledge and will undoubtedly help us identify players and improve our recruitment processes.
“Our aim is to de-risk the signing of new players.
“We have got some good people in the recruitment department who have worked tirelessly to identify players but we will be constantly reviewing how we operate.”
Day has also worked as FA senior scout, Leeds United’s chief scout, and senior scout at Fulham twice.
He coached in both the top flight of English football and in the Championship during his time at The Valley and Upton Park.
Day said: “This is a magnificent opportunity for me and I am really looking forward to it.
“I’ve known Terry and Alan for a number of years from coaching courses and being in opposition dugouts.
“There is a nice feel to the Club, it is an exciting challenge and the infrastructure is here to go onto bigger and better things.”
Born in Chelmsford, Day turned professional as a goalkeeper with West Ham United in February 1973.
He went on to also play for Leyton Orient, Villa, Leeds and Carlisle before hanging up his boots in 1994, having made more than 750 appearances.
His first steps into management saw him seal promotion to the third tier of English football and lift the Football League Trophy with Carlisle during the 1996/97 season.
He worked under Alan Curbishley at Charlton for eight years between 1998 and 2006, enjoying success in the Barclays Premier League.
And in December 2006 he followed him as his No.2 to West Ham, where the duo spent almost two years.