Club captain Jake Livermore has penned the following open letter to supporters ahead of Albion’s final home game of the regular 2022/23 Sky Bet Championship season, against Norwich City, on Saturday (ko 5.30pm).
Dear Baggies fans,
It has been an honour and a privilege to represent this great football club – your football club – since January 2017.
I have called The Hawthorns my home for the last six-and-a-half years, and such is my love for this club, it’s fans and, especially, its incredible, hardworking staff, that it will remain my football home forever – but now the time for me to say goodbye as a player is approaching.
There have been some unforgettable highs on the pitch that I will always cherish. The emotion of my late goal against Tottenham, representing the club at international level for England, my winner against Birmingham City and, of course, captaining the side to promotion in 2020 – even though I wish you could have all been inside The Hawthorns to celebrate that achievement with us.
I will also cherish the work that I was fortunate enough to do with our amazing Albion Foundation, and the relationships I’ve built with players and staff, past and present, as well as an amazing fanbase who have been incredible from the very first moment I joined.
I have been particularly proud to wear the captain’s armband during my time here, having inherited that prestigious honour from Chris Brunt, a true legend of this great club. Now it is time for me to pass on that responsibility and I know there are many capable candidates for Carlos Corberán to choose from.
This will always be my football club, if you will accept me as an honorary Baggie. My kids have been brought up as Albion fans and, no matter what happens next, I’ll be a regular visitor to The Hawthorns – which will always hold a special place in my heart – long into the future.
As my spell here comes to a close, your support is more important than ever. I don’t want this weekend to be the last time I walk out at The Hawthorns – I don’t want this Saturday to be goodbye. I believe that our story is not yet written and that there will be one or two more twists and turns in our tale, because together anything is possible.
Back the team like you have backed me all these years, and let’s see if we can go out with a bang. On countless occasions I have experienced the tidal wave of power that a Hawthorns atmosphere can bring to the team, and I am confident your support on Saturday will be no different.
Thank you for everything, truly.
Skip.
