Saint Kitts and Nevis international signs four-year deal

Brentford have signed attacking midfield player Romaine Sawyers after he left Walsall. The 24-year-old signed a four-year contract today, Friday 1 July, after completing a medical. The Saint Kitts and Nevis international had been with Walsall since 2013 but chose to move to West London when his contract with the Sky Bet League One side expired yesterday.

Romaine started his career at West Bromwich Albion and signed his first professional contract when he was 17. He was named as a substitute for The Baggies at the end of the 2008/09 Premier League season but left without playing a game for the Black Country side. Romaine had loan spells at Port Vale, Shrewsbury Town and Walsall and then signed for the latter – then managed by current Brentford Head Coach Dean Smith – when he left West Brom in 2013.

In three years at Walsall, Romaine established himself as a goal scoring midfield player. He scored 18 goals in 161 games for The Saddlers in all competitions, 15 in 136 League One matches. He helped Walsall to the 2015 Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Final and to a third-place finish in League One last season.

His performances last term also saw him named in the PFA Sky Bet League One Team of the Year and finish second in the Football League Awards Sky Bet League One Player of the Year poll. Romaine has played for Saint Kitts and Nevis at Under-23 and full international level. He has earned 18 full international caps and scored four goals. Romaine will wear the number 19 shirt this season.

Dean Smith, Brentford FC Head Coach, said: “Romaine is a player I know very well. He was one of the top players in League One last season. He has always shown potential, last season he moved in to a level above League One.

“I am really pleased we have signed him. For a player to get in the PFA Team of the Year and the top three as voted for by managers and supporters it shows the ability he has. Hopefully he will show that here.”

Phil Giles, Brentford FC Co-Director of Football, added: "Romaine is a player that we've been watching for some time. When Dean joined the Club last year he was able to give a very good reference and so Romaine became an obvious target for us during the close season. Understandably there was lots of interest in Romaine and so I'm delighted that he has chosen to come to Brentford and look forward to working with him over the coming seasons."