March: I caught it sweetly

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Nick Szczepanik

2025-01-13T09:30+00:00

Solly March helped Albion on their way to a 4-0 victory over Norwich City. 📷 by James Boardman.

Solly March has thanked the Albion’s travelling fans - and former Seagull Shane Duffy - for their reactions to his first goal since the knee injury that sidelined him for 14 months.

Solly took the field as a substitute for Yankuba Minteh after 70 minutes of the FA Cup tie away to Norwich City.

And just four minutes later he met Brajan Gruda’s pass with a perfectly-struck first-time shot that bent into the top far corner of the net.

At first it appeared that Gruda’s pass might reach the offside Danny Welbeck until Solly gave him a shout.

“Yes, I don’t know if he was offside so I just said ‘You’d better leave it to me’ and I thought ‘I’m just going to hit it’,” he said. “Perfect really, wasn’t it? A sweet strike.”

The 2,000+ Albion fans who braved icy roads or replacement buses to get to Carrow Road sang his name during and after the game and teammates ushered him forward to milk the applause as they saluted the travelling faithful.

“Yes, it was nice. Obviously they were great today, they were great for everyone. I heard them from the first minute and them singing your name again is nice to hear.

Solly curled home a terrific goal in the 4-0 win over Norwich. 📷 by James Boardman.

“Someone was pushing me over to them so I thought yes, I had better show my appreciation. They were great.”

Duffy, now with the Canaries, shared the pitch with Solly in an Albion shirt on 96 occasions and sought out his former teammate after the final whistle to add his congratulations.

“He just said: ‘I’m buzzing for you, you’ve had a tough time and it was nice for you to get that goal’,” Solly said. “It was nice of him.”

Solly’s previous first-team action this season had been limited to a few minutes at right back at the end of the 0-0 draw at home to Brentford. So his 24 minutes on the pitch in Norfolk represent a gradual and calculated ramping-up of his return to full fitness.

“The physio said I was limited to just 30 minutes,” he explained. “I could probably have played 45 but there’s no point rushing things now. It’s been 14 months so I’ve just got to take it step by step and hopefully build on that now over the next weeks.

“I need to keep building and I’m still not 100 percent fitness-wise. My knee is all right but I still can’t be playing 90 minutes every week. It’s not going to be the case for a few months.

“So I’ve just got to build up slowly and when I feel good, hopefully get some minutes and just manage it over the next few months and still hopefully, like today, make an impact off the bench when I can.

Solly enjoys the fans' cheers after the win at Carrow Road. 📷 by James Boardman.

“The next few months is going to be about managing it, getting minutes and building slowly.”

Both his appearances so far have been on the right, but in a larger squad than he belonged to before his injuries, he is keen to take any opportunities that may arise.

“I’ve played literally everywhere apart from centre back and centre mid. I’m versatile, I can play wherever I’m needed to play, but I still think on the right wing is my best position.

“I’ve just got to get fit and stay fit. That’s the aim. Competition is good so like I say, more minutes today and start feeling better and better each time and hopefully I can start challenging to start games over the next weeks and months.”