Steve Sidwell has urged Albion to “pull up trees” to keep Dale Stephens.

Stephens’ contract runs out at the end of the season and he has admitted his future is up in the air having submitted a transfer request back in August in a bid to force through a move to Burnley.

Midfield partner Sidwell believes the signs he sees at training every day offer encouragement that Stephens will remain at the Amex next season.

The ex-Stoke midfielder, who has linked up with Stephens in central midfield for the last two home games against Burton and Ipswich, said: “Dale is a fantastic player for the football club. He ticks along, links play up from defence to attack.

“If it was me, I’d be pulling up trees to keep him. It’s not just the players saying it, it’s the fans as well.

“Everybody can see how important he is to the football club.

“Hopefully his performances will get us to the Premier League and hopefully he will stay.

“I don’t know what he thinks but it seems he enjoys it here. He likes the training ground and he is close to the boys here.

“From what I see day to day, he enjoys it so long may that continue.”

Sidwell believes Stephens was under-rated by many until recently.

That has changed with fans and pundits highlighting statistics linking Stephens’ presence or absence to the team’s results.

Sidwell believes those figures are significant.

He said: “The stats with him playing and winning games speaks volumes.

“He is an important part of the team and we need him in there.

“You can take stats how you want. He has been plagued by injuries and it has been stop-start for him but I thought last season he was superb, probably an unsung hero.

“He didn’t get the credit he deserved, as was the case this year, but he is a vital part of the team and, as long as he is fit and playing, we have obviously got a great chance of winning.”