Darren Moore praises long-serving goalkeeping coach Mark Naylor

When Neil Cutler left for Villa at the start of November, academy coach Naylor took charge of the four senior keepers.

He kept the seat warm for two months before Gary Walsh was appointed as Cutler’s successor.

It’s not the first time Naylor, who has been at the club for 19 years, has stepped up to the senior side, and Moore lavished praise on one of the men who makes Albion tick.

“I must give special recognition to Mark Naylor,” he said. “In terms of the long run of games we’ve been in, he’s been pivotal.

“He came in for the Hull game and look at the run of games, there have not been many goals conceded.

“Nayls has the adaptability to train under-8s and then step in with Sam Johnstone, Jonathan Bond, Alex Palmer and Boaz Myhill and train four exceptional keepers on the front-line.

“That’s no easy feat in terms of where you’ve got to put your mind to put practical sessions on to keep them at the front end. I’ve not had to worry about him because he’s given a level of commitment.

“People don’t see that the academy was shut down for two weeks (over Christmas).

“In his head he was shutdown for two weeks, but he’s had to forget his family because he was in working.

“He’s done all that and these are the things not always revealed.”

Naylor is happy working in the academy, but it’s not the first time he’s stepped up to the senior squad.

“He’s been an unbelievable servant to the football club,” said Moore. “He’s not just done this once, he’s done this multiple times when the club’s needed him to.

“I have to give him special recognition because I worked with him in the academy and have seen what he does on a day-to-day basis.”

Last season, Moore celebrated his Premier League manager of the month award with every member of staff at the club.

And he said it was for people like Naylor, who make the club tick.

“When I share those awards it’s with people like Nayls. He’s stepped in.

“When you get nominated for these awards, they take just as much credit.

“It’s not just for myself, I share it with them because areas of the team are operating the way they are because of their commitment.

“I’m just giving you one person as an individual, there’s many others you could go into.”