Romaine Aims For Top Flight

ROMAINE Sawyers is hoping his partnership with manager Dean Smith can lead all the way to the Premier League.

- John Lyons

It was five years ago this month that a 21-year-old Sawyers joined League One Walsall, then managed by Smith, on loan. At the end of that campaign, the Birmingham-born midfielder was released by West Brom and Smith snapped him up on a permanent basis.

Sawyers flourished with the Saddlers and played more than 150 games in three years.

In late 2015, manager Smith moved up a level to join Brentford – and the following summer Sawyers joined the Bees after turning down a new deal with Walsall.

Since then, the St Kitts and Nevis international has smoothly adjusted to life in the Championship, in a team renowned for playing good football.

It’s no wonder he holds Smith in high regard and believes he wouldn’t be out of place in the Premier League one day.

“Everyone has that ambition and hopefully he can do it at Brentford or by another route,” said Sawyers. “From my standpoint, he’s got the quality. We have a good working relationship and I can’t speak too highly of him.”

Strengths

So what makes Smith, 46, such a good manager? “I think his main strength is