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"I think we need an old head in midfield and Ronnie is exactly that," said Ritchie today. "He's a player I like very much and he will be a steadying influence. We've got Danny Cadamarteri ready to boost us up front, Frank Sinclair fit again to play at the back and Ronnie will bring experience to the spine of the side in midfield.
"He will do that holding job which we need and he's someone who will pull us around when we need pulling around. We've had a lot of people ill this week and, with the Luton game followed straight away on Tuesday by the visit of Nottingham Forest, we need as many bodies around the place as possible."
Wallwork, who has been at West Brom five years and includes loan spells at Carlisle, Stockport, Royal Antwerp, Bradford (twice) and Barnsley on his CV, was due to train at Storthes Hall for the first time today after Ritchie had further talks with his agent.
"He is coming for a month initially and he'll bring with him a wealth of experience," added the manager, who is in talks to extend Richard Keogh's loan from Bristol City.
"I tried to get Ronnie at Barnsley before I got the bullet, and I'm very pleased to bring him in here."
Wallwork spent two months on loan at Brunton Park in the middle of the 1997-98 season, the Manchester-born midfielder swapping one United for another at the time. Ronnie making twelve starts and scoring one goal during his time in Cumbria before returning to Old Trafford.