West Brom teenager Sam Field eager to get back in the action

The childhood Baggies fan from Stourbridge, who turned 19 yesterday, was given an early birthday present on Saturday when Tony Pulis handed him the fourth Premier League start of his career.

A dedicated and focused player who has been at the club since the age of eight, the England under-19 international is in Pulis’s long-term plans for the side.

He would love more first-team action before the season finishes a week on Sunday, but the down-to-earth midfielder knows there’s no rush.

“Hopefully I can put my name in there and feel like I can stake a claim, but if not, we’ll see how it goes next season,” he said. “We’ll see what pre-season holds and we’ll go from there.

“I’ll take minutes here and there, I’m 19 at the minute so I can’t complain. Even playing Premier League football (is good).

“I’ll just keep trying my best in training and hopefully he (Pulis) picks me again.”

Born in Wordsley, Field went to Haybridge School in Hagley and still lives with his Baggies-mad family in the Stourbridge area.

He signed a four-year contract in October after putting pen to paper on his first professional deal last June.

Several Championship clubs approached Albion about taking him on loan in January but Pulis decided against it with so few senior players in his squad.

But Albion’s head coach hopes he will add enough players over the summer to allow Field and fellow youngsters Jonathan Leko and Kane Wilson to go out on loan next season.

Although Field had made four substitute appearances in 2017, he hadn’t started a match since September.

“It’s been a while,” he said. “I’ve just been waiting patiently, thankfully the gaffer gave me a chance.”

Field was withdrawn just before Albion’s 2-2 draw with Burnley sparked into life but even though Sam Vokes equalised with his second goal four minutes from time, the teenager though it was a good result.

“It was difficult to take at the end," he admitted. "But I think coming here you’d take a point the way Burnley play at home so I was really happy to play.”

Field is a central midfielder who normally holds but on Saturday his young legs were asked to press forward while 33-year-old skipper Darren Fletcher held a deeper position.

But the teenager enjoyed having a man of Fletcher’s experience giving him pointers.

“It was nice,” said Field. “Fletch is brilliant, just to have a voice behind you. I felt comfortable in there, and hopefully I can do that again.”

And not only were his older team-mates were impressed with his performance, they’d also like to see him included more.

“He did really well,” said goalscorer Craig Dawson. “It’s a tough place to come but he won his battles and worked hard.

“He’s a great player and hopefully he gets a few more games, a few more chances to prove himself.”