Barney Stewart has revealed he had no hesitation in asking for West Bromwich Albion's number nine shirt when he joined the club from Falkirk in June, telling BBC Radio WM that he could not understand why any striker would turn the opportunity down.

The 22-year-old made the claim after scoring his first goal in English league football, opening the scoring in the 19th minute during Saturday's comeback victory over Blackburn Rovers at The Hawthorns. It was only his second start for the Baggies, and the timing could hardly have been better given the weight of expectation that comes with that particular squad number at the club.

A shirt with serious history

The West Brom number nine carries a lineage that stretches across seven decades of Hawthorns folklore. England centre-forward Derek Kevan wore it in the 1950s, Jeff Astle in the 1960s, Cyrille Regis in the 1970s, and Bob Taylor in the 1990s. Three of those names are immortalised in the famous Baggies terrace chant: "Astle is our king, and Cyrille Regis too and Super Bobby Taylor." It is, by any measure, a shirt with a story.

Yet Stewart, London-born to Scottish parents, said none of that history gave him pause for thought. "It's a pressure I'm happy to have as I am a number nine," he said. "I actually asked for the number nine shirt. I don't know why you wouldn't want it."

An unconventional path to the Championship

Stewart's route to the second tier is one of the more unusual ones you will find. Before arriving in the Championship, he spent time in QPR's academy and played under-18s football for Hayes and Yeading, a club with its own connection to Cyrille Regis, who came from there originally in 1977. From youth football, Stewart moved into higher education, turning out for Heriot-Watt University near Edinburgh in Scotland's fifth tier while studying for a sports science degree. He had also dabbled in rugby union along the way.

It was Falkirk, in 2024, who gave him his first taste of professional football, and he repaid that faith by scoring 12 league goals in the Scottish top flight last season. That form was enough to attract interest from several clubs, and it was West Brom who moved to bring him south of the border.

"It was not the usual route," Stewart acknowledged. "I never had a proper look at professional football until I came to Scotland. But I got offered my chance with Falkirk and I always wanted to be a footballer so I was happy to take any path possible."

Patience rewarded, pressure embraced

Despite his rapid integration into the Albion squad, Stewart admitted that the wait for his moment in the starting eleven had tested him. "I'm possibly the most impatient person I know so I put a lot of pressure on myself," he said. "But it was nice to be part of a comeback victory. And now it's up to me."

That self-described impatience appears to be working in his favour. Arriving as a largely untested quantity in English football, he has wasted little time in making an impression. Getting off the mark in only his second start, and doing so in a match that ended in three points for the Baggies, will have done his confidence no harm whatsoever.

For West Brom supporters, who have seen the number nine shirt passed down through some of the club's most beloved figures, the early signs from their summer arrival are encouraging. Whether Stewart can truly make that legendary shirt his own over the course of the season remains to be seen. On the evidence of his attitude so far, he is not short of belief.

Frequently asked

Who is Barney Stewart at West Brom?
Barney Stewart is a 22-year-old striker who joined West Bromwich Albion from Scottish club Falkirk in June. London-born to Scottish parents, he previously played in QPR's academy and scored 12 league goals for Falkirk last season before earning his move to the Championship.
Why is West Brom's number nine shirt so significant?
The Baggies' number nine has been worn by some of the club's most celebrated forwards, including Derek Kevan, Jeff Astle, Cyrille Regis and Bob Taylor. Three of those names feature in a well-known supporters' chant, making the shirt one of the most storied in the club's history.
When did Barney Stewart score his first goal for West Brom?
Stewart scored his first goal in English league football during West Brom's comeback victory over Blackburn Rovers, netting in the 19th minute at The Hawthorns. It came in only his second start for the club.