'I wanted to go but Sir Alex didn't want me to leave': Kieran Richardson talks West Brom & The Great Escape

The former Manchester United man arrived at the club in January 2004 with Albion staring relegation in the face under Bryan Robson.

Robson, a United legend, called in a favour and brought in Richardson, while also adding the experience of Kevin Campbell from Everton.

Both signings paid off and they made sizeable impacts as Albion achieved their seemingly impossible task and completed The Great Escape, after being rock bottom at Christmas.

Richardson has recalled his time at Albion, his love for the club and how he wanted to stay at The Hawthorns in an interview with Ladbrokes Fanzone.

The midfielder, who went on to play eight times for England, said: "The West Brom move, for me, was perfect timing.

"I had two options: Norwich or West Brom. Quite simply, I chose West Brom because of the Bryan Robson connection, you know, how much of a great player he was at the club, and just how great a leader he was.

"Both clubs were in a relegation battle at the time, and Nigel Worthington was the Norwich manager at the time - I actually ended up playing and scoring against them that season, as well.

"I went there in the January, and would still say, to this day, I had the best time ever. Birmingham's a great city, I loved living in the Mailbox, I was playing for a great club like West Bromwich Albion.

"Everything about it was just amazing for me. I just think back to some of the names we had around the place at the time... the manager, Kevin Campbell, Zoltan Gera. You know, it was like a family. We stuck together, and we knew what we had to do.

"I came in late on in the January window and ended up playing in central midfield. I had always been a left-winger for the most part at United, but I went in to West Brom and played in the middle, and I was loving it. Going from not playing at Man United, to playing week-in, week-out, still in the Premier League, it was just an unbelievable experience for me."

Richardson is best remembered for that final day goal, the second strike in the 2-0 win over Portsmouth that gave Albion every chance of staying up if results went their way.

But another key goal came weeks earlier when he wrapped in a free kick in front of the Smethwick End to give Albion a 1-1 draw against Blackburn.

That all led into the penultimate game of the season, a clash at Old Trafford which the midfielder was ineligible for. Robert Earnshaw scored a spot kick as Albion fought back for a point, giving them a glimmer of hope heading into the final game of the season.

Richardson added: "We all knew we had to run through brick walls for each other, to give ourselves half a chance of achieving something special. And that's exactly what happened, on that last day against Portsmouth.

"I remember the night before that game, I spoke with my dad. Imagine if we stayed up, Dad? If things go our way.

"My dad just told me that if we did pull it off, and I had a good game, I'd be remembered forever at the club. And things happened to go our way; I scored, as well.

"And any West Brom fan knows what the rest of that day looks like... all the supporters running onto the pitch, it was just crazy. It was definitely one of the best experiences and best times of my life, for sure."

After Richardson's heroics helped Albion achieve something that had never happened before, he was keen to return to Albion for another season alongside Robson.

But Sir Alex Ferguson had other ideas and tasked his senior players with persuading Richardson to stay at Old Trafford.

He would leave United two years later, going on to play for Sunderland, Aston Villa, Fulham and finally Cardiff City.

However, if he'd have got his way after the memorable 2004/05 campaign - it could have been a much different path.

He added: "As soon as that 2004-05 season ended, I knew I wanted to sign for West Brom, at least for another season. Bryan Robson wanted to sign me, and I wanted to go. How could I not want to go?

"The club had done so much for me. But I remember going back to Manchester United in pre-season and Sir Alex Ferguson had told me that he didn't want me to leave.

"He got a few of the senior players to get in my ear and tell me to stay, that I was going to play more games, and all of that kind of thing. But, like anything at Man United, there's no guarantees.

"They were the biggest club in the world at that time, and when you've got these huge names in your ear, it's hard to say no. I don't regret the decision, because I don't really have any regrets. But I did want to go, I can't lie... I had to be heavily persuaded not to go."