---
title: "West Bromwich Albion: Fans react as James Tomkins is linked to the club"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/james-tomkins-sam-allardyce-transfer-baggies/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Luke Seychell"
section: "Premier League"
published: "2020-12-18T15:40:58Z"
modified: "2020-12-18T15:40:58Z"
---

# West Bromwich Albion: Fans react as James Tomkins is linked to the club

**Many West Bromwich Albion fans are reacting to the latest transfer news around the Baggies which suggests that Sam Allardyce is interested in James Tomkins.**

According to [Football Insider](https://www.footballinsider247.com/tag/james-tomkins/), and tweeted out by [@WBAReport](https://twitter.com/WBAReport/status/1339568239953719297?s=20), Allardyce wants to make Tomkins his first signing at the club. The Palace defender is 31 and now a fourth-choice centre-back at Selhurst Park so is likely to be available for a reasonable fee in January.

Tomkins has had a very good career in south London, featuring 106 times and scoring eight goals along the way, ([Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-tomkins/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/61592/plus/0?saison=&verein=873&liga=&wettbewerb=GB1&pos=&trainer_id=)). Of those 106 games, 99 have come in the Premier League, with [23](https://www.premierleague.com/players/3517/James-Tomkins/stats?co=1&se=54) clean sheets and [eight](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/james-tomkins/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/61592/plus/0?saison=&verein=873&liga=&wettbewerb=GB1&pos=&trainer_id=) goals in top-flight action for the Eagles.

Only last season, Palace manager Roy Hodgson was full of praise for Tomkins as he [said](https://twitter.com/CPFC/status/1114136751637979137?s=20): “He’s been excellent. He was fantastic the other night in a tough game for us.”

The Baggies have conceded 26 goals in the division, which is the most in the Premier League, so it is easy to see why one of the first things the new manager wants to do is strengthen at the back. Tomkins would therefore be a solid addition.

### Here is how fans reacted to the news on Tomkins:

> We won’t get him as we are skint so don’t worry
>
> — Richard (@ActyRichard) [December 17, 2020](https://twitter.com/ActyRichard/status/1339593232116637705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> People moaning are so thick, he’s far better than Bartley and Ivanovic
>
> — Liam Jones (@liamjackjones) [December 17, 2020](https://twitter.com/liamjackjones/status/1339577963919024131?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> Typical Allardyce signing 🙄 joke of a manager joke of an owner
>
> — James (@JamesWBA4) [December 17, 2020](https://twitter.com/JamesWBA4/status/1339569088637640712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> Brilliant 🙄
>
> — ¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯ (@albionpigeon) [December 17, 2020](https://twitter.com/albionpigeon/status/1339568658046201858?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> This would be against everything that Dowling said we were trying to do the past couple of years. Back to the cycle. [#WBA](https://twitter.com/hashtag/WBA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [https://t.co/Fnfck7ajNc](https://t.co/Fnfck7ajNc)
>
> — Collin (@Coloradocollin) [December 17, 2020](https://twitter.com/Coloradocollin/status/1339573724761223173?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> Probably the least surprising pursuit of the winter.
>
> — Chris Lepkowski (@chrislepkowski) [December 17, 2020](https://twitter.com/chrislepkowski/status/1339575322350477312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> And so it starts
>
> — George Downes (@george\_downes17) [December 17, 2020](https://twitter.com/george_downes17/status/1339568641814224905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

***In other news, [West Brom fans hammered this man against Palace.](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/west-brom-news/west-brom-baggies-romaine-sawyers-palace-slaven-bilic-hawthorns/)***