It has been a long time since I last posted a blog. After the last few days, however, I have a lot of pent-up frustration that I just need to release here.
The last few years following West Bromwich Albion under the likes of Alan Irvine, Tony Pulis and Alan Pardew have been enough to drive even the most laid back football fan up the wall. Albion fans are known for being miserable and moaning at anything they can put their mind to. Many have been driven away from the Hawthorns, including those who have followed us up and down the country for decades. These three managerial appointments, and those above who made the decision to employ them, shunned loyal supporters.
Then came a shining light of hope in April last year. Following Pardew's departure (finally), Albion "legend" Darren 'Big Dave' Moore began his duties as caretaker of the first team. The best way to describe the man is a large teddy bear. I have met the man many times and I am being honest in saying that, like the late, great Cyrille Regis, you could not wish to meet a nicer bloke. Always took time to speak to and have photos with supporters, even on the day he was sacked. He attended charity 'dos put on my fans without being asked! Never will you meet a more genuine human being.
But as well as this, it must be said what a remarkable job he did to save a sorry season when he took over at the end of 2017/18. We were effectively relegated when he took the reins, but managed some impressive results, which included beating Jose Mourinho's Manchester United and Rafa Benitez's Newcastle United on their own soil, picking up a very good point against current title contenders Liverpool and THAT goal against Tottenham Hotspur, that gave us real hope of staying up. Southampton, however, ruined that dream for us days later.
Moore was appointed full time in the summer, and rightly so. I had my reservations at first, as I knew that if things went wrong I would hate to see a wonderful man be treated so terribly by both fans and his employers. However, that feeling soon subsided and I backed our new manager as I would anyone else, if not more, as I wanted him to succeed like no other.
For me, Moore has done a magnificent job. It must be remembered that this is his first job as a full time first team manager. To put Albion in contention for promotion after the sorry state our club has been in the previous years, uniting a very divided fanbase at the same time, should be commended.
I am very angry that the board have not let him see through the rest of the campaign. I truly believe he could turn things around given time. Yes, we have had a pretty poor home record since Boxing Day, but our away record more than makes up for it. We have lost to Leeds (comfortably) and Sheffield United (narrowly), who are two very good teams also vying for promotion, and drawn against bottom of the league Ipswich at home. Whilst the latter is obviously a team we should be beating, we know that the Championship is a very difficult league and no result is guaranteed. Ipswich maybe wanted it more than we did, were less complacent and are fighting to stay in this division.
This is only an opinion of mine, but I feel that Albion's away support is much more understanding towards Moore than the home support. When we went 1-0 up through Stefan Johanson's free kick on Saturday the atmosphere was very flat, as if waiting for someone to make a mistake so that the moaning, complaining and the boos could ring out. This is not the Albion I began loving. Our away following is much happier, positive (on the whole) and patient when playing from the back. Our fans do not like us playing out from the back but, whilst it can be frustrating at times, I can see why they do it and it does work. It won't work if fans are constantly abusing Sam Johnstone and the defence and make them nervous.
I was, and still am, appalled at the club's decision to sack Darren Moore. As mentioned above, I felt he deserved time to turn it round ad believed he would. However, some of our supporters believe we have some divine right to be top of the league, winning week in week out, playing Barcelona-style football. We don't. We knew this league would be tough, and given this is his first full time managerial role, to be in play off position, still with a slim chance of the automatics, he deserved time. I fully believe that fans' impatience, as well as our money-hungry chief executive/owner, are at fault.
As much as the hierarchy at the club frustrates me and has questioned my love for Albion now, the defamatory comments from the media and ex-players/pundits calling the dismissal "racist" is outrageous. In no way, shape, nor form is this anything to do with race nor colour. As pioneers of bringing black footballers into the game I find it very insulting that the likes of Adrian Durham, Troy Townsend and Kevin Campbell are explicitly saying this, dragging the history of our great club through the mud. Moore himself would probably have a few words to say to them himself if he was confrontational.
I disagree with the club's dismissal of Darren Moore. But I at least know the reason why it was done, as do the majority of Albion fans. People outside of West Bromwich Albion can merely speculate and get the wrong end of the stick. Instead of taking the word of a "journalist", do the research.
