Departing defender Gareth McAuley’s free Bosman move to West Brom has been confirmed. The Northern Irishman has signed a three-year-deal with the Baggies which starts on July 1st.

The 31-year-old, whose Town terms are up this summer, has passed a medical having been at the Hawthorns to sign his deal at the end of last week.

Baggies boss Roy Hodgson said he was delighted to add the former Lincoln and Leicester man to his squad: "I would like to welcome Gareth to the club and I am very pleased we have added a player of his quality and experience to our team.

"We believe it is the right moment for Gareth to embark on a Barclays Premier League career after doing so well for so long in the Championship and for his national team.

"We are also very happy that amid lots of competition for his services, we have managed to persuade him to join us."

McAuley, who is currently away on international duty with Northern Ireland, added: “I’m delighted to get it sorted out. It’s been going on for a couple of weeks and that’s it done. It’s another step up, another progression in the journey of my career. It’s a challenge to get into the team first and foremost.

“They have good players there but I back myself all the way as I always have done. I’ve worked hard and sometimes you get the rewards. I’ve now got to get into the team and prove I can play there.”

McAuley cost the Blues £1.1 million when he joined from Leicester in the summer of 2008.

Photo: Action Images

Lightningboy added 15:32 - May 23 PJ will bring in a far better replacement.
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AdamITFCBeaumont added 15:43 - May 23 Good luck Gareth. Wish you could of stayed!
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HolbrookBlue added 16:21 - May 23 Wish him well, he has obtained a good contract and hopefully will give good service to WBA. He was easily the best of a poor defence last season, and many before. But he is not irreplaceable, very few players are. Like other posters it would be good to hear something positive about the team being strengthened, but they say patience is a virtue. However it seems the pattern of previous seasons, last minute signings (and not always the first choice), may be repeated this summer.

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oddball added 16:55 - May 23 I sometimes wonder if half the people on this site have any clue about football at all. Roy Hodgson would not sign him if he was no good, the baggies will not be relegated next season and he will be a massive loss to us and it remains to be seen as to whether we can replace him. GET REAL.
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50yearsablue added 17:19 - May 23 It is utter nonsense to say we won't miss McAuley who has been our most consistent and dependable player for the last 2 seasons. I remember being concerned in the past about the lack of pace of Mowbray and Venus when we went into the premier league in 2000. Also de Vos. But good players use their brain to minimise the problem and I am sure McAuley will do ok in the PL. Good luck to him.

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purplesprouting added 17:37 - May 23 he will struggle in that company but good luck fuzz head.
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jas0999 added 17:48 - May 23 I disagree with those that say McAuley isn't a 'great loss'. It's madness that we let him go for nothing and he will be difficult to replace. However, he's gone and we move on. Shame we haven't signed anyone yet.
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theblueginger added 17:58 - May 23 Good luck in the prem GMac, you carried us at times, its not your fault were in the s++t
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Ebantiass added 18:02 - May 23 Well Im delighted for him, in my opinion he never sherked his responsibilities and was indeed found out at times but I believe he gave what he had. Three years at his age in the top flight is great for him and I think he deserves it. I fear we will miss him next season ,but would LOVE to be wrong.
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Dissboyitfc added 18:46 - May 23 We are only talking about this because there is no news on any signings. We knew a while back he was going and now he has gone, a decent player in a poor side, not as irreplaceable as some of you believe. I am very confident Paul Jewel knows what he's doing and has a better player(s) lined up. I know it was only a loan signing, but the signing of Bullard was brilliant, gave us all a lift,(including the team). There are i am sure, some excellent signings coming our way, so please can we all be a bit more positive , THE GLASS IS HALF FULL, not half empty, COYB.

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RegencyBlue added 20:42 - May 23 WBA will regret this signing - slow and terrible distribution. PL opposition will catch out Macauly big style!
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stoofer added 21:31 - May 23 would be nice if macauly could find it in his heart to thank the fans before moving on.
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Hiltzkooler added 22:21 - May 23 Ah! Informed opinion again! WBA drop next season and McAulay is rubbish...so bad he is going to a Premier League club signed by a manager of some repute...fatuitous opinions of the uninformed!!!!
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Guthrum added 09:46 - May 24 The best of our own players in the ITFC side this season. Can't blame him for wanting to step up. Yes, he will need to be replaced. Interesting that, despite all our woes, we are still feeding players to the Premiership - Walters and now McAuley.
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h32 added 20:13 - May 24 oddball - agree with you totally.
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h32 added 20:21 - May 24 ..... not good enough, for us to offer him what any of us would have wanted in his position - a 3 year contract - but good enough for Roy Hodgson to do just that in a higher league. I suppose the ##ckheads will soon be saying Hodgson doesn't know what he's doing. This Club has become a serious Joke - extremely hard times ahead - and when / where will it all end ??
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