Captain Jonathan Greening today paid tribute to the foreign legion who have helped take Albion into the Premiership on a tide of laughter.

Greening reckons Hungarian Zoltan Gera, Slovenian Robert Koren and Czech Republic striker Roman Bednar have played a key role off the pitch as well as on it with their pranks.

The Baggies skipper believes the fun behind the scenes has been a vital ingredient in bonding Tony Mowbray’s title-winning squad and helped repair the fractured team spirit following Albion’s play-off final despair a year ago after defeat to Derby at Wembley.

Greening fondly labels Gera, the midfield maestro the Baggies are desperate to keep, as a “little muppet” and it’s clear nowhere would the out-of-contract Hungarian international be more sorely missed than in the dressing room should he leave this summer.

Greening says: “Zolly’s a little muppet! He’s a madman and sometimes I think he’s not all there.

“He doesn’t drink or do anything bad – but he’s just crazy!

“He’s one of the biggest crowd favourites and you can see why because he gives everything. His enthusiasm is there for all to see.

“He’s a really nice guy and another of the jokers. All the players love having him around the place because he’s not just a good player, he’s part of the team spirit we’ve built here.”

Bednar’s reputation as the clown prince of the Hawthorns is already well known and Greening confirms plenty of his team mates are plotting revenge attacks on the striker for his habit of cutting up their clothes and rubbing deep heat into their pants.

“He can sometimes be annoying – but we’ll get him back!” Greening warns Bednar.

But it’s clear that quiet man Koren cuts a very different figure as soon as the cameras and notebooks disappear.

“Everyone loves him around the place. He’s one of the jokers as well.

“He’s always laughing and trying something mischievous. That’s why everyone has fallen for him and why he is a fans’ favourite,” says Greening.

The free transfer midfielder is also nominated as the captain’s Player of the Year with Greening adding: “He’s got to be one of the bargains of the century!

“He cost nothing and I love playing alongside him. We’ve seemed to gel really well and it can only get better the more we play together.

“People like the way he plays, with a smile on his face. He’s scored some really great goals for us and has been brilliant all year.

“He is my personal choice as Player of the Year.”

But the man no-one messes with behind-the-scenes is ultra-tough left back Paul Robinson – who also scores highly on the prankster front.

Greening says: “He’s a total madman. You wouldn’t like a 50/50 challenge with him on the pitch.

“He’s a top lad off the pitch and is the biggest joker out of everyone in the changing room.”

And “Robbo’s” reputation for grit is well deserved, says Greening.

“He twisted his ankle just before the Wolves game and it was black and blue.

“Any normal person would have been out for four or five weeks with it but Robbo just strapped it up, took some pain killers and carried on.

“That’s just the way he is and maybe if he hadn’t done that we might not have got the results we needed.

“Fair play to him and it just shows you how much he cares.”

Greening also pays tribute to “nice guy and top pro” Dean Kiely and the deeply-respected “gentleman” of the dressing room, the long-serving defender Neil Clement, who has now on three promotions during his time at The Hawthorns.

“He’s probably one of the reasons we’re back in the Premier League,” said Greening. “He’s got his left-foot wand and he’s been spraying the ball all over.

“He’s one of the nicest guys you could ever wish to meet. Everyone looks up to him.”