Peacemaker Sullivan’s Baggies phone call

David Sullivan phoned West Brom chairman Jeremy Peace after Carlton Cole’s switch to the Hawthorns collapsed at the last minute on transfer deadline day.

Tony Pulis has revealed that the Hammers chief cleared the air with the Baggies after Cole had agreed terms and was at the club’s training ground late into the night ready to put pen to paper.

It left Cole making an expletive-filled phone call to Sam Allardyce but Pulis said the situation had always been clear to West Brom. Despite that Sullivan spoke to Peace to explain the eleventh hour change.

‘But there was never any secret as to what the situation was. If they had brought someone in then Carlton would have been available. If they didn’t then he was going back, which was made clear so that was fine.’

Cole may face the Baggies today and Pulis said:  ‘That’s the way it spins at times. I’ve always thought he’s a good player who gives you different options, and on his day he’s a handful, whilst his goalscoring record – when he plays – is decent. He’s different to what we have.’