Many forget that West Brom cult hero played for Bristol City – Robins didn’t get what the Baggies did..
Bristol City were delighted to recruit someone of the ilk of Peter Odemwingie back in 2016, as the Nigerian joined the Robins on a short-term loan from Stoke City.
Odemwingie had proven pedigree of being a reliable goalscorer in the Premier League from his time at West Brom, where the frontman made his major mark in his first stint in English football.
The former Nigerian international was key to the Baggies’ eventual eight-year stay in the top-flight between 2010 and 2018, contributing significantly over his three seasons and largely having a positive relationship with the Albion faithful.
Originally linking up at The Hawthorns for a reported fee of £2.5 million, the star-studded striker would go on to repay the investment and undergo the best goalscoring return of his career.
The Uzbekistan-born forward immediately showed his prowess in front of goal, netting on his debut in an opening-day victory over Sunderland in the 2010/11 season.
This would be a sign of things to come in an Albion shirt, as the marksman recorded 15 goals and nine assists from 32 top-flight outings, helping land West Brom to an 11th-placed finish.
In his second campaign, Odemwingie would be slightly less prolific but would go on to reach double figures yet again. Three of the ten goals in that term would come at Molineux, with an iconic hat-trick inflicting a 5-1 defeat on bitter Black Country rivals Wolves, sending Albion fans into delirium.
In his third term, Odemwingie’s relationship with the club turned sour, submitting a transfer request and infamously turning up at QPR’s training ground on Deadline Day, a moment that has been well documented and mentioned most often during transfer windows.
An embarrassing situation, the Nigerian eventually moved on to Cardiff City, with the now 43-year-old finishing his Albion career with 31 goals and 16 assists from 90 first-team appearances.
Odemwingie would go on to spend just a season with the Bluebirds before joining Stoke, but the forward was loaned out by the Potters to Bristol City in 2016, hoping that he could rediscover his goalscoring touch.
Peter Odemwingie couldn’t replicate West Brom hey day with Bristol City
Peter Odemwingie + West Brom
Struggling for playing time with Stoke City, Peter Odemwingie was aiming to revitalise his career with Bristol City heading into the final portion of the 2015/16 campaign.
The frontman would sign just in time to make his debut against Fulham, completing 45 minutes in a 2-1 victory at Craven Cottage.
On his home debut, Odemwingie would get on the scoresheet in Bristol City colours for the first time, helping the Robins blitz past Bolton Wanderers 6-0.
A start would follow in a dismal defeat to Hull City, but Odemwingie would return to Ashton Gate with another goal as Lee Johnson’s men were held to a draw by Rotherham United.
From that moment on, Odemwingie would fail to earn another start for the Robins, making three substitute appearances against Sheffield Wednesday, Brentford and Derby along with being an unused from the sidelines against Blackburn.
Odemwingie wouldn’t even make the matchday squad for the final two games of the season, scoring two goals from just seven appearances as Bristol City recorded an 18th-placed finish in the second tier.
Peter Odemwingie’s West Brom & Bristol City record (all competitions) – stats from Transfermarkt
Season
Division
Appearances
Goals
Assists
2010/11
Premier League (West Brom)
32
15
9
2011/12
Premier League (West Brom)
30
10
2
2012/13
Premier League (West Brom)
25
5
3
2015/16
Championship (Bristol City)
7
2
0
Bristol City would have been disappointed by the lack of Peter Odemwingie’s impact.
Peter Odemwingie + West Brom
34 at the time, Peter Odemwingie was unable to get back on a regular goalscoring trail in the Championship, hinting that his playing days at that point were coming to an end.
Despite making a positive start to life in a Robins shirt, Odemwingie’s form quickly disintegrated, proving why Stoke City were so unwilling to keep him around the club.
Leave a Reply