West Brom director Richard Garlick leaving for new Premier League role

Garlick, the club’s director of football administration, has been at the Baggies for eight years.

He is leaving in the summer to become the Premier League’s first ever Director of Football, a newly-formed administrative role which will oversee youth development, coaching and young player education.

The 41-year-old, who is a highly-respected administrator, will become the fourth board member to leave the Baggies in 2018.

Chief Executive Mark Jenkins tried to persuade him to stay, but it was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.

He is set to stay for the summer to help Jenkins and technical consultant Guiliano Terraneo oversee the summer reboot before leaving for the Premier League.

But his departure leaves the board wafer thin after the departures of chairman John Williams, chief executive Martin Goodman and technical director Nick Hammond.

Jenkins and Terraneo are already looking for a new head coach and a new technical director and they now need to find a new administrator too. Director Li Piyue is expected to be confirmed as chairman in the summer.

“It’s an opportunity that is impossible to turn down and one I am very excited to be taking,” said Garlick.

“But of course I am very conscious that I will be leaving Albion at the lowest point we have experienced in my eight years here and that is not something I lightly dismiss.

“Albion has become my second home and come to mean everything to me and my family as the club built a successful period of growth within the Premier League.

“It’s always been a challenge but it is one I have relished every day and to be leaving it at this moment is not easy.

“All I can say is that we are all keenly aware there is a major ‘rebirth’ to be planned this summer and I will do everything I can to help that process before I move on.”

Garlick, a qualified lawyer, joined Albion as a Legal Director/Secretary in 2010 before a brief spell as Technical Director in 2013.

He was made Director of Football Administration in May 2014, a post he has occupied since.

Jenkins said: “I have tried to persuade Richard to stay but the opportunity the Premier League have offered him is one anyone would find difficult to turn away. He leaves us with our very best wishes in his new post.

“We will be sorry to see him go as he has been an invaluable member of our senior team for a long time.

“But Richard will play a leading role in helping us through some very important decisions in the remaining weeks of his duties.

“He will continue to work closely with technical consultant Giuliano Terraneo and myself on the important challenges we will be tackling.

“I want to assure supporters that we remain determined to take an opportunity this summer to re-launch the club into a new and positive era.”

Richard’s new role will see him oversee the primary football administration functions at the Premier League.

Premier League Executive Chairman Richard Scudamore said: “We are very happy to have secured a person with Richard’s knowledge and experience to take on this vital role at the Premier League.

“He is well known to the clubs and respected by all.

“He joins a great team and together we can continue to provide the best possible service to our member clubs and many organisations that have come to depend on the Premier League for leadership and guidance in a range of football matters.”