Hinshelwood: Grit and determination key to my success

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Midfielder reflects on final day brace at Tottenham.

Nick Szczepanik

2025-05-28T10:00+01:00

Jack Hinshelwood finished the season with five Premier League goals. 📷 by James Boardman.

Jack Hinshelwood is excited about Albion’s future and promises “hard work, grit and determination” as he tries to help the team improve on this season’s final placing.

He scored twice in the 4-1 final-day victory at Tottenham that guaranteed eighth place in the table, the second-highest finish in the club’s history.

In the end it was not enough to secure a place in Europe next season, but the Sussex-born midfield player believes that it was a performance that holds plenty of promise for next season.

“Of course, yes. We have done our bit today and over the last five or six weeks the manager said we have got no regrets, we gave our all,” he said.

“Obviously there were points in the season where we were a bit disappointed and we could probably have ended on a higher points tally. But it’s all learning and I think next season is going to be a really exciting one if we can continue on that kind of trajectory.”

Consistency, he feels, will be the key. “There was obviously lots of ups and downs and we had some really good runs. If we can polish that up next season and have a bit more consistency, it helps when you've got players fit, then we'll have a real chance.”

Jack finished the season with five goals, an encouraging total for a defensive midfielder who has also helped out in both full back positions. He also forced a good save from Spurs goalkeeper Vicario in the first half on Sunday with a glancing header from a corner. Does that all suggest a natural eye for goal?

“I suppose so, a knack or whatever it is,” he said. “I just try to put myself in good positions in the box. I was lucky today, two fell at my feet and I was able to turn them goalwards. When they hit the back of the net, it's always a nice feeling. Scoring a goal, if you could bottle up that feeling every time, it would be worth a lot.”

“In the first half I was playing more like a striker. Obviously we missed Danny [Welbeck] today, he's been massive for us all season. Maybe it's not my best position, but if the manager puts me there, I'll give my all and try to contribute to the team.”

He was able to celebrate both strikes in front of the fans, who have always loved the enthusiasm and work ethic shown by one of their own.

“I can sort of resonate with them,” he said. “I've been in their position, so I know what it's like. I know what they want to see from players on the pitch. I just try to do the best I can. I haven't got the ability of people like Mitoma, Joao Pedro, but one thing I can guarantee is how hard I'm going to work and show that grit and determination.”

Jack Hinshelwood celebrates his second goal at Tottenham with his teammates and the travelling supporters. 📷 by James Boardman.

A chance for a hat-trick came when a foul on Diego Gomez by former Albion star Yves Bissouma resulted in a penalty, but Matt O’Riley converted the spot-kick. Had Jack wanted it, bearing in mind that his previous penalty, in the shoot-out against Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup, had been saved?

“I did,” he admitted. “I probably didn't fancy myself, obviously I missed the last penalty. But I did want it, I wanted to score the hat-trick, but I had to put the team first. Matt O'Riley was the designated taker and he was confident, so it was more important to win the game. It would have been nice to get a hat-trick if it had gone in, I probably would have missed - I’m joking!”