Conor Townsend is back at West Bromwich Albion for a second spell having spent six years at The Hawthorns between 2018 and 2024.
The vastly-experienced left-back, who also featured for the Baggies at centre-half on several occasions during his first stint in navy-blue-and-white stripes, will be keen to add more appearances to his overall tally of 213 for the Albion over the course of the 2026/27 campaign.
Townsend, who hails from Hessle, came through the ranks at his boyhood club Hull City. He made his debut for the Tigers in a League Cup tie against Leyton Orient in 2013 after spending two years out on loan at Grimsby Town and Chesterfield in the Blue Square Bet Premier and Sky Bet League Two respectively.
Further temporary time away from the MKM Stadium materialised following his first Hull outing, with loans to Carlisle United, Dundee United, Scunthorpe United and Grimsby Town once more, all accelerating his senior development.
Conor left the Tigers permanently in January 2016, penning a two-and-a-half deal with Scunthorpe. He made 88 appearances and scored five goals for the Iron before completing a move to the Baggies in July 2018.
Townsend had to be patient during the early days of his Throstles career, with former England international Kieran Gibbs the regular starter on the left side of the defence. However, slowly but surely, the full-back forced his way into the XI as a result of hard work, determination and eye-catching performances.
He appeared 18 times his first year at Albion, but flourished in his second. The now 33-year-old played 30 games in all competitions in 2019/20, helping the club win promotion to the Premier League. He also scored his maiden Baggies goal during the same term, crashing home a tremendous effort from the edge of the box as Slaven Bilic’s boys defeated West Ham United in the capital in an Emirates FA Cup encounter.
Conor missed two months of the following top-flight campaign through injury, but still managed to feature in 27 matches in all competitions. He played 44 times in 2021/22 and a further 48 times in 2022/23 – a campaign in which he scored a memorable winner in a 3-2 triumph at Luton Town on a day where Albion were 2-0 down, as well as a spectacular free-kick in a 2-1 victory over Norwich City at The Hawthorns.
The 2023/24 season was the former vice captain’s final year of his first spell with the Baggies. Townsend completed another 46 games – his final two coming in the Sky Bet Championship play-off semi-finals against Southampton – before sealing a move to Ipswich Town in the summer of 2024.
Opportunities were limited with the Tractor Boys owing to injury, but Conor will now be determined to hit the ground running back at the Baggies and showcase his ability, as well as his leadership qualities. Albion fans will be familiar with his composed nature at the back, his strength when defending one-v-one and his ability to deliver dangerous crosses in the attacking third, and Conor’s addition to the squad instantly bolsters James Morrison’s defensive options.
Conor's back. 💙🤍
— West Bromwich Albion (@WBA) July 24, 2026
