Reid happy to be a Baggie for life

Published Sep. 22, 2010 9:16 a.m. ET

foxsports

The midfielder is likely to be restored to the starting line-up for Wednesday night's Carling Cup clash with Manchester City at The Hawthorns. Reid's only other start of the campaign was at Leyton Orient in the previous round and he has been on the substitute's bench for Albion's opening five league games. But Reid is enjoying life at the Baggies after helping them gain promotion last season and believes the early signs have been encouraging. West Brom have collected seven points from their opening three games at The Hawthorns and Reid feels home form will be key to them staying up - as it was at Blackburn. He said: "Home games are massively important. Blackburn have been really strong at Ewood Park and that's always carried them through. "That's what we need at The Hawthorns. So far, so good this season. That's what you need to do in this league, get your results at home and then the away games are almost a bonus. "I don't see why West Brom can't do a similar thing to Blackburn over the years. The two are very similar clubs in terms of fans, history, budgets. "I think we can aim at emulating what Blackburn have done. I came here because it is an ambitious club. "I'm hoping to finish my career here and I want to do it in the Premier League." West Brom's fringe players have been challenged to stake a claim to play Premier League football by impressing against City. First team coach Michael Appleton has laid down the gauntlet to the players currently not in favour with manager Roberto Di Matteo. The Baggies altered their whole starting XI for the 2-0 win at Leyton Orient in the previous round. Appleton does not anticipate so many changes against City but still expects Di Matteo to make full use of his first-team squad Appleton said: "It's another opportunity for some of the lads that played at Leyton Orient to stake a claim. "I think you can obviously expect some changes against Manchester City. "I don't think there will be as many as there were against Orient but it's an opportunity for the head coach to use his squad."