Preston North End's next opponents West Bromwich Albion have a new striker making his mark, with 22-year-old Barney Stewart explaining his choice to take on the club's iconic number nine shirt. Stewart opened his Championship scoring account last Saturday, netting in a comeback victory over Blackburn Rovers in only his second start for the Baggies.
"I actually asked for the number nine shirt," Stewart said. "I don't know why you wouldn't want it." The London-born forward, who qualifies for Scotland through his parents, added that he welcomes the expectation that comes with the jersey. "It's a pressure I'm happy to have as I am a number nine," he stated.
Stewart's rapid rise
Stewart's journey to the Hawthorns is unconventional. Just over two years ago, he was playing university football in Scotland's fifth tier while studying for a sports science degree. A move to Falkirk in the Scottish top flight followed, before West Brom secured his signature this summer. His first league goal for Albion, which sparked the turnaround against Blackburn, came from just his 230th minute of Championship football across ten appearances.
His early impact extends to the international stage, where he has scored three goals in two games for Scotland's under-21 side. At club level, he made his first league start against Wrexham, the side that thrashed Preston 4-1 last weekend.
The shirt's legacy
By requesting the number nine, Stewart has chosen to follow in the footsteps of West Brom legends sung about by the home support, including Derek Kevan, Jeff Astle, Cyrille Regis and Bob Taylor. Staff at the club have encouraged the young striker to seek out the mural of Regis, who joined Albion from non-league Hayes in 1977, at the end of the East Stand.
Stewart's own path saw him in the academy at QPR and as an unused substitute for Hayes & Yeading United before his university days. His parents were reportedly almost disbelieving when he told them he had been given the famous shirt number.
Preston's perspective
The story holds particular interest for Preston, who sit 24th in the Championship with just four points from 11 games. Their recent form reads five games without a win, with three consecutive defeats including heavy losses to Birmingham and Wrexham.
For Stewart, the focus is now on justifying his shirt choice with more goals. "I think number nines should score goals and I have to start proving it," he said. His next chance to do so comes against a Preston side desperate to stop their slide, with the teams meeting in three days' time.
