Blackburn suffer ‘gutted’ blow on the eve of their West Brom meeting
West Brom welcome Blackburn Rovers this Saturday to The Hawthorns but Rovers will be without loanee
Blackburn Rovers have lost the services of loanee James Hill as they prepare to take on West Brom at The Hawthorns on Saturday, after the defender was recalled by his parent club Bournemouth. Hill, 22, has played in 20 matches for Rovers, including 14 starts in the Championship.
Hill played minutes for the Cherries at the beginning of the season before Andoni Iraola decided to sanction a loan move to the Championship for the player, who has played as a centre half and a right-back this term. Now, though, he has recalled Hill from his Ewood Park stint with a view to more top flight football.
Hill, who scored his only goal in a 4-2 win over Blues earlier this season, is originally from Fleetwood Town and enjoyed returning up north to play regular football. By his own admission, he’s ‘gutted’ that he won’t be continuing in Lancashire until the end of the season, as was originally agreed.
“For myself, I am gutted I can’t carry on the journey until the end of the season with this amazing team,” he told Rovers TV. “What a journey I’ve had. I feel like I have grown so much as a player and to say goodbye is a sad moment. To be recalled by my parent club is a positive and I owe it to the club for giving me the opportunity to the club.
“It’s been incredible. I don’t think Blackburn understands the opportunity they have given me. My first Championship season, how I thought I’d do to how I’ve done, I’ve impressed and surprised myself and I think others too.
“This club has given me so much. I am a northern boy so to be able to come back home, see family I haven’t seen in a long time and to be playing week in, week out, I struggle to find the words to say thank you. It’s been an honour to put the badge on and wear the blue and white halves on a Saturday or a Tuesday night. It’s been incredible for me and my family.”
Albion, of course, have also felt the effects of the loan rules this month; Jeremy Sarmiento, who they’d borrowed from Brighton for a season, was recalled by the Seagulls on New Year’s Day and immediately sent to Championship rivals Ipswich Town for the remainder of this season.
