Bruce needs to start delivering at West Brom soon

Bruce needs to start delivering at West Brom soon

West Bromwich Albion were expected to be strong contenders for promotion from the Championship this season. After all, they were only relegated two campaigns ago and, with the parachute payments from the English Premier League, have more financial muscle than most of their rivals.

Last season they made a bright start to their bid to get back to the top-flight, but they panicked after some poor results, sacked coach Valerien Ismail and appointed Steve Bruce in his place. But there was no revival and West Brom kept tumbling down the table.

The new campaign has brought no relief for the Baggies, whose only title came in the old First Division in 1920.

This season they have a single win in 10 matches, leaving them with just 10 points and one place above the relegation zone.

The pressure is now on Bruce, who left Newcastle last October following a 305-million Pound takeover. He was asked before their last game against in-form Norwich City whether he was the right person to turn thing around at The Hawthorns. “Always, that’s what football is,” answered Bruce.

West Brom took a well-earned point at Carrow Road that day and Bruce, left “angry and frustrated” by the club’s failure to sign two more players late in the transfer window, was bullish ahead of a “long winter”.

“There's a long winter ahead,” said Bruce. “What I've witnessed against the good teams - we know we're as good as anybody else.

"I understand that we're all judged on results from afar, but those who've seen us play, know that we've played well in a large section of games.”

But the Championship is unforgiving and sooner or later West Brom need to start turning wins into draws if they are to have any chance of climbing the table. They were fifth and eight points adrift of the automatic promotion places when Bruce succeeded Ismael in February and eventually finished 10th.

Speaking after his appointment, Bruce said: “I’m coming in with one aim - and that’s to get Albion to the Premier League." That aim is looking gone and forgotten right now!