West Bromwich Albion bid farewell to a host of players in the summer - 17, in fact, who had been in or around the first-team environment departed in various loan and permanent capacities. Chiefly amongst that number were senior players Tom Rogic and Kean Bryan, who have both since announced their respective retirements from football.
David Button was permitted a move to League One strugglers Reading, while Dara O'Shea was sold to Premier League newcomers Burnley. Karlan Grant and Taylor Gardner-Hickman moved on loan within the Championship, while club captain Jake Livermore brought to an end a six-and-a-half year stay at The Hawthorns.
Not a player who figured particularly under Carlos Corberan, Livermore was permitted a poignant farewell to the Albion fanbase in the win over Norwich City at the back end of last season. Now 34, the former England international did manage to remain at the same level as Albion and secured a deal with Watford.
There, he has been reunited with former Albion boss Valerien Ismael, under who he worked and was captain for between summer 2021 and winter 2022, prior to the ill-fated end to the Frenchman's tenure in charge. He has, most recently, begun to help change Watford's fortunes since returning to the starting XI after spending the entirety of September without playing a minute.
Ismael brought him back into the side for the draw at Cardiff at the beginning of last month and, in the time since, the Hornets are unbeaten in six, having won three and having kept four clean sheets in that period, which has helped them climb from 21st to 13th in the Championship table. Livermore has completed 90 minutes in all but the most recent of those games, the 5-0 victory over Rotherham at the weekend, and even then he wasn't fully fit.
"I think today Jake showed his mentality. He trained normally this week until Tuesday, but then he got sick," Ismael said after the game. "He trained again yesterday but we were really on a knife edge if he would play. He said he felt well enough, he was here for the team and he wanted to play and support them. That he had enough to do what he did for one hour showed the mentality we need. He is a big example for all the players."
Livermore, as a traditional number six, the breaker of play role he held at Albion for a number of years, has made quite the impression on the Watford fanbase too in this period in which their on-field fortunes have been transformed...
Ben Aiton: Jake Livermore appreciation tweet. Shored up the midfield & kept it simple. Won 50/50's & second balls. Been the voice in the middle of the park & encouraged his team mates.
Bradley Hayden: Jake Livermore flying under the radar for #WatfordFC at the minute. Another mature performance from him and he offers the protection to the defence that we so badly needed. His leadership out there also another key factor.
Rikki Aldridge: Jake Livermore's signing certainly raised a lot of eyebrows and concerns but since coming in, he's been superb. Tightened up the midfield and showing his leadership capabilities. Quality signing
Stuart Hutchison: Not overstating it to say that we'd be Champions of Europe if we'd had Jake Livermore for the last 4 years.
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