Sam Jewell has spent almost seven years scouting emerging talent for Albion.

Now he is the man in interim charge of the club's recruitment operation going into the next transfer window.

Jewell has been handed the reins after the departure of Paul Winstanley to Chelsea.

He will be working with the support of technical director David Weir, heading a team the club are confident have them well-placed for the mid-season player marketplace.

Jewell has been part of Albion’s work to be ahead of the global talent-spotting game.

Since November 2018, he has been involved in identifying and recruiting young players in the United Kingdom and abroad, especially South America.

READ MORE: PAUL WINSTANLEY ON HIS MOVE TO CHELSEA

That has seen him work closely with the club’s technical director and head of recruitment, dealing with clubs and agents on a daily basis.

Before that he was detailed to recruit for the development squad.

Jewell was previously opposition scout for Newport County and then, for ten months, chief scout at Swindon Town.

He is a Spanish speaker, having taken lessons during lockdown, and is also a county level golfer.

Appointing him as chief scout in November 2015, Swindon chairman Lee Power said: “He is a very knowledgeable lad, he wants to progress and it was an area we needed to improve on. We’re delighted he has joined us.”

The surname will be familiar to football fans given he is son of former Derby and Ipswich boss Paul.