Albion boss Gus Poyet has told The Amex faithful they are going to love Stephen Dobbie.

Poyet expects the deadline day signing from Swansea to be an instant hit with supporters.

Dobbie turned down Championship rivals Blackpool, where he had two loan spells, as well as interest from Middlesbrough and Burnley to sign for Albion.

Poyet is still after a target man once the loan transfer window opens but seized the chance to snap up the Scottish striker for three years, with doubts persisting over the fitness of Spanish playmaker Vicente .

“We have been waiting for Vicente,” Poyet said. “He could be training with us but, when you don’t know what is going to happen, you try to make sure you have got someone who is going to help us open up defences and he (Dobbie) does that.

“We wanted to have someone for three years, bang, you know he is there, not a year or a season loan, so that side of the transfer was important as well.

“Then as well we have an excellent player who is with us, not playing against us, because there was competition from teams in our division.

“The fans are going to love him. They know the qualities of Vicente, Bruno and Wayne Bridge, the players that do something different on the pitch. Well he is one of them.”

Dobbie and fellow deadline day signings Andrea Orlandi, David Lopez and Dean Hammond will all be in contention to make their home debuts in Albion’s next match against Sheffield Wednesday on Friday week.

Dobbie said: “I am just looking forward to getting on the pitch and showing everyone what I can do. I played through pre-season and came on for the last 35 minutes in Swansea’s (Capital One) Cup game last week. I am ready to go whenever I’m needed.”