West Bromwich Albion midfielder Romaine Sawyers has sent out a defiant Premier League message and insisted we are “determined to make our mark” in an interview with the Express & Star.
The Baggies won automatic promotion to the top-flight on the last day of the season in what proved to be a topsy-turvy campaign and Sawyers admitted his relief at getting the job done.
“Relief is what hit me first,” he said. “I came off against QPR and I went from player to fan. I couldn’t watch the game. If someone had scored in our game I wouldn’t have known because my face was in my hands. I just couldn’t watch.”
“But as soon as the whistle went and we had that pause – we could hear the media guys talking and we knew Brentford and Barnsley were still playing.”
“I heard 2-1 and I really thought Brentford had scored, I didn’t think it could have Barnsley that scored, I just thought Brentford have taken a 2-1 lead. When I heard that my heart just sank.”
“But when I heard it was Barnsley ahead, the whole world came off my shoulders. I just said to myself ‘Thank God we got over the line.”
Next season will be Sawyers’ first in the Premier League and he admits he is excited at the challenge but insisted they won’t be resting on their laurels.
DETERMINED
“I’m really excited for the fixture list,” he added. “I think everyone wants to know who, where and when we are playing.”
“Hopefully, if not at the start of the season but as quickly as possible, we can then get fans back in the stadium. That makes a whole lot of difference.”
“We had expectation this year, wearing that shirt came with a different mental challenge – we were expected to win every week and not get beaten.”
“But we know that now we can’t relax, we aren’t going to the Premier League to be tourists. We are not going to see an attraction and then go home. We have got to go and make our stamp on it – on the best league in the world.”
“It’s my first time, we have a manager in charge who has been there and done it – both as a player and a manager. We are in good hands and determined to make our mark.”
