Albion boss Tony Mowbray today urged the club to put title dreams to the back of their minds and focus on clinching promotion.
The Baggies need just four points to guarantee their first divisional title in 88 years.
But, with a point possibly still needed to seal promotion, Mowbray has called on fans and players to take the season one step at a time.
“The title has never crossed my mind,” said Mowbray. “It’s not a concern. Let’s do one thing at a time.
“The objective we’ve talked about has been to try and finish in the top two. That’s the only criteria in my mind.”
Albion will effectively be promoted on Saturday if Hull fail to beat Crystal Palace, but if the Tigers win Mowbray’s men must avoid defeat on Monday at home to Southampton to avoid the promotion race heading into the final weekend of the season.
Mowbray said: “If other results get us there this Saturday then great. But if they don’t then we have a massive job on Monday on what will be a huge occasion, not just for us but for Southampton, who could find themselves in the bottom three on Saturday night.
“Nigel Pearson is in charge at the moment and he knows a lot about our players and our team.
“It’s no foregone conclusion that it will be an easy game against Southampton - it will be a very tough game.”
40 Comments
I will be a very nervous baggie on Monday it could all turn sour.I have a great deal of respect for Pearson.and am certain his team talk will be along the “let’s take em down a peg”
We aint there yet
Well said AW, this IS the Albion after all! I’ve supported them too long to take anything for granted.
1 - totally agree.
It would be great to go into the match and get the point (or 3) we need - but if palace do us a favour on saturday then I will be a VERY happy baggie.
I don’t care where or how we go up - we can play 11 behind the ball for all I care and get a 0-0 draw - just as long as we go up !
LOVIN IT (in a very nervous way) !!!
Stop flapping Baggies, where’s all that faith in the ‘mowbray way’? hate to say it but it’s as good as done, You wanna hope that you dont cock it up now after all the stick you’ve been giving us!!
I’m very nervous as in this division nothings a cert, and us going up certainly isn’t!
Brazilian
We are Albion we never do it the easy way if we can make it difficult we will.
By the way I am told that it’s quite painful having a brazilian is that true?
I’m sure we won’t cock it up. Although i seem to remember our dingle friends saying similar when they were in the automatic spots a few years ago. I can’t remember, did we catch them and go up??
6 - I’ve heard a brazilian is painful - but having a brazilian dingle hurts even more.
88 YEARS!!
Happy…
do you remember this?
88 YEARS!
Happy…do you remember this?
Brazil
I agree. Mowbray is telling it the way it is. I think we need to have confidence that if we all turn up and are focused on Monday then we can secure promotion by beating a side who will be equally as nervous. One game at a time. With a fit squad and a packed hawthorns a point is surely within our grasp. As long as we take nothing for granted this week in our preparation. Mowbray’s story of a Boro promotion party going sour is one of many lessons he has learnt already.
As nervous as I can get, I can’t see this squad and this manager not getting the job done.
In Mowbray we trust. Going up the Mowbray way
Boing Boing
what is jeremy tight piece thinking in not signing up phillips? the fella has been instrumental for us this season, scoring 22 league goals (i think). surely just for a happy dressing room during the final push it would be worth signing him up. i cant understand this, mabee someone can enlighten me!?
Why doesn’t J-P sign super Kev up no, if another club come in and signs Kev the baggies fans will never forgive J-P .He deserves a 2 year contract for all the goals he has scored, the baggies would not be top of the league today but for his goals. So J-P get in there no and sign him up, if we loose him you will never be forgiven by the fans
Despite all the stick we are taking from your crazies, I feel I have to tell you that you will succeed in winning the title. you do have that bit of extra class and experience so relax a little. Nowif you were in our position you would know what nerves were. Good luck, onwards and upwards, out of darkness… you know the rest…
PS can we have Super Kev for next season, please?
Frank - calm down dear….
I know you are confused at present because your natural instinct is to moan - and us being top of the league and one point off promotion means you are finding that difficult.
However, why do you feel the need to just post a rant at JP when even Phillips has said he will sort things out at the end of the season ?
I think that JP’s investment this season and his backing of the manager since he arrived will ensure that JP gets the fans backing for some time to come.
If we “only” go up in 2nd place I will await your “you let us down” comments with interest.
Come on frank - join the party - who knows, you may enjoy it.
Oi BoingBoing666 !!!!! - are you suggesting I am advanced in years ?
Well I am, but not quite that advanced pal…
No, should we do it, this will be my first Albion league win.
However I was 14 before I saw a banana.
13) must dis-agree, i concur that KP has been superb since he has been here. But in buisness and football there is no room for sentiment. We do not know what KP is asking and i am certainly not sure at his age he is worth a 2 year contract. Maybe he is asking to be assured a certain amount of games ect. like i say we do not know. I for one think JP has done an excellent job since being here and would not be so quick to chastise him over one player however good that player may be.
I am fairly confident this will get sorted and which ever way it goes i dont think we should judge JP on this one occasion.
hey there great barr baggie, thought you were still celebrating from saturday !!!! I actually think after last nights result, Crystal Palace will win at Hull, but I think come Monday at the latest we’ll be there. have you read T.M. words today, scouting for ages, recruitment meetings etc etc, i think ive died and gone to T.M. heaven
Happy
I tried and tried and finally got it posted!
It was way too tempting and seems though you have graced my first season on this forum with such words of wisdom I felt it necessary to fire a friendly shot in your direction!
As for the banana’s lets hope we dont see too many of those skins in the next two weeks!
BB666 - i accept your shot, and very kind words with thanks.
credit where credits due my friend.
i think history will repeat it’s self and we will finish 3rd and wolves 6th only difference is the dingles will be the ones playing at wemberly this time.i know i’m going to get slated for this but we’ll see, hope im very wrong and we are up by 4:45 saturday.
Kev, you are a muppet for saying that!! Are you a dingle or a baggie? Because you sound like a dingle!
No.13 Its quite simple, what Kev’s asking for is only viable if the baggies get promoted. Thats why negotiations will continue at the end of season. In my opinion he will get the deal he wants when the money is in the bank so to speak.
Gents you are the best team in the leauge and its refreshing to hear a Manager who knows what he wants for the premier! He already has plans, knows players he wants, lets just hope for your sakes Mr Peace backs him. Get a good keeper a couple of Centre Halfs, Possible right midfielder and Proven Premier League Centre forward you will be fine. Beattie fron SU Would be a good signing!!!!!!!!!!!!!
one way or another it will be party time at the shrine monday night,on the tele aswell so everybody can see the supa baggies take the title,,,lovely jubbly,,HAVIN A PARTY THE MOWBRAY WAY,,,IN STYLE OF COURSE,,,OH YES
yeh looks like the early reports about kevy p’s contract may have been misleading. new reports have appeard so sorry JP, i love you really.
KP Has been brilliant, a legend, especially if we get promoted. But I agree with some that 2 years for a 34 year old is a lot, especially in the prem. 1 year extension with a 1 year option would be the way to go? Everything tells me we’ll be fine and get the automatic, but I am so nervous its crazy so you I won’t get carried away until its done and dusted
What a night Monday promises to be but having seen us slip up before i am only 95% certain we will be promoted.
Fantastic news that the management team have been planning for next season for yonks in the premiership and i am even more sure that if we get promoted we will stay up.
Hope nothing comes along to spoil our party, but what about if we loose?
Has anybody thought that one through?
We simply have to keep super kev, the guy is class in ever sense of the word. I appreciate that I don’t know the ins and outs of what’s going on but surely 22 league goals should be enough to get a 2 year deal.
JP has done a great job since becoming chairman and we are in good shape financially, but for god sake get KP under contract.
As for the promotion push, as I’ve said many times now, the job isn’t done yet. We need to forget about winning the title until the QPR game. The job against saints should be to guarantee promotion. Then in the final game, if we are already up, we can express ourselves and finish off in style.
I’ve supported the albion long enough now to know that we can’t take anything for granted, this week has gone so slowly waiting for Monday night. I’ve been thinking if Hull do this, if palace or bristol city or stoke do that, it’s driving me mad!!
Come on boys now finish the job off now!!
one step at a time,uefa cup,prem title,champions league boing boing rule europe the MOWBURY WAY
Just to add a bit of spice to Monday, KP used to play for Southampton did he not? He’ll be dying to hammer a couple and get back as leading Champ. goal scorer above Beattie of Sheffield Utd. Invitations to THIS party won’t be sent out until about 9.40pm at the earliest so come in your ordinary clothes.
YOU WILL SEE HOW GOOD YOU ARE WHEN OR IF YOU GET IN THE PREMIER,ANOTHER YOYO YEAR I SUPPOSE.
Another yoyo season if you get into the premier.
KP has already stated he doesn’t want to discuss the contract one way or the other until the seaon is over. So.
Goodnight John Boy.
Goodnight Jim Bob.
Goodnight Frank Gas.
Happy.
Hope it wasn’r a Brazilian banana.
24 Dan.
He’s not a Dingle. It’s just young Kev the Gas signing in.
31 Hedgerow.
No problem. If we loose on Monday, we just tighten up against QPR.
35 & 36.
To paraphrase Winston, ‘yoyo is better than nono.’ Wouldn’t you agree?
35. 36. Meanwhile “Groundhog Day” again next season at the Custard Bowl.
23 - Kev, I think you must lead a very sad life.
35-36, there’s no denying we have been a yo yo club but I’m confident that a TM team will do the business in the prem. This time yo yoing will be deemed a failure for us, but for you guys, even the thought of being yo yo club is just a dream. That’s the difference between the clubs. Wolverhampton flounders = the ultimate in underachievement and mediocrity
I’m not running J-P down i think he is the best chairman we have had for years and i can go back 60 year’s,we have the best manager appointed byJ-P so why should i say anything against him,just because i said Kev should have a two year contract for all the goals he has score doesnt mean i don’t like J-P .Baggies fan till i die