Coffee meeting that made Wood a £25m Toon star
CHRIS WOOD’S journey to St James’ Park started with a coffee in Birmingham’s Bull Ring and ended with his mum providing lodgings for West Brom’s young players.
As Newcastle United’s £25million striker joined the revolution on Tyneside this week, he did so against a backdrop of family sacrifice that has turned full circle since the day he turned up in the west Midlands as a young wannabe from New Zealand.
Wood was just 16 years old when he arrived at New Street Station, looking to start a career in English football after a recommendation from a scout.
Fast forward to today and he’s now billed as Eddie Howe’s great hope. While his mother, Julie, still looks after teenage Baggies’ wannabes as a ‘Thank you,’ for the help her own son received.
Steve Hopcroft, who at the time was head of academy recruitment at West Brom, takes up the story: “I remember exactly where I was when I met Chris... Costa Coffee in the Bull Ring in Birmingham.
“He’d come down with his mum on a train from Merseyside because Everton were trying to get him as well.
“We had a chat and I said: ‘If I had the papers, would you sign?’ They looked at each other and Chris nodded. I went to the boot of my car, retrieved them and that was that.
“We gave him a two-year scholarship. But he didn’t start that well. Before Christmas, he couldn’t score for love nor money.
“He came back after the break and it was the old, familiar story – he bagged one off his backside and then there was no stopping him. It was like turning on a tap.
“So, Tony Mowbray then had him over to train with the first-team. Then, there was an injury crisis up front and we knew we had something after he was used as a substitute at Portsmouth.
“He was up against Sol Campbell for the final 20 minutes or so. Now Campbell might have been at the end of his career but he was still a player and Chris gave him a really tough time.
“It pleased us all at West Brom that he came through because he was such a lovely kid.”
Most families make a sacrifice for their offspring to follow their dreams in professional sport. But Wood’s mum, Julie, came over to live with him in a house in the
Birmingham suburb of Great Barr while his dad, Grant, remained in New Zealand to look after his football-playing sister Chelsey.
When the fledgling forward did find his feet, however, the breakthrough was not instantaneous.
It has been a long route to the north-east but Wood’s tale is one of perseverance making good.
As ex-West Brom fullback Paul Robinson said: “Chris was in and out for a while after joining us for a few sessions.
“He was a big lad – most of them these days are big lads to me – but he was always going to have a job getting in ahead of the forwards we had at the club at the time.
“Kevin Phillips remains one of the best finishers the Premier League has ever seen – he was an automatic choice. And we had Ishmael Miller, who was a handful, too.
“Luke Moore arrived from Aston Villa for big money and Jay Simpson from Arsenal too. Chris was competing against that lot and he was still a teenager.
“Gradually, he became used to the physicality of training with the firstteam and that’s what it was about.
“But what I liked about him was the fact that he always backed himself.
“If you look at his career, he has never been afraid to go out on loan and to try and improve – he always wanted to get better.
“He wasn’t afraid of a challenge – of putting himself out there to get that first-team experience. To me, that’s what’s enabled him to have the career he has.”
West Brom looked after Woods so well that his mum now looks after their academy players. Of boss Valerien Ismael’s current squad, Irish international Dara O’Shea (left) is one who has been in her care.
Hopcroft added: “Julie knew Chris needed support and it was invaluable in his development. It’s a lovely touch that she is now taking care of other lads.
“I saw the news this week that he moved to Newcastle and was delighted for him. He’s a great kid. And I’m sure that everyone who has ever had anything to do with him or his family will feel the same.”