Off the top of my head, five things I love about West Bromwich Albion would include – in no particular order – the support the team received during its first Premier League campaign, Cyrille Regis and the vision of its current manager, writes Martin Swain.

All fairly self explanatory.

The backing given to the Baggies during their forlorn quest to stay in the top flight five years ago was moving and inspirational; Cyrille is just Cyrille, one of my all-time favourites while initial scepticism about what on earth Tony Mowbray was trying to do has been replaced by genuine admiration for the quest he pursues ahead of any regard for his job security.

But nestling among those three picks would be another feature of Hawthorns life guaranteed a spot in the top five – the walk the players still undertake from the car park to the dressing room.

Okay, not an obvious choice but . . .

When once accompanying guest pundit Paul Merson to a Baggies match, our arrival co-incided with one or two Albion players strolling across the road, perfectly at ease among the fans and autograph hunters as they made their way to the dressing rooms.

Merson was gob-smacked at this echo of the 1950s. “They don’t let them do that still, do they?” he said and of course he would. At Arsenal, Middlesbrough and Villa, it’s all very fans on one side of the barriers and players on the other.

But when they talk about Albion’s unique bond with its community – as they will be today at yet another confrontational AGM – it is this feature which always springs to my mind.

That little walk across Halfords Lane, free of barriers, security guards or any other obstacles symbolises a link between player and supporter which so many other clubs of Albion’s profile and aspirations have long since abandoned.

It is why Big Time Charlies and Albion just don’t mix. It is why, when the team is getting hammered by better Premier League opponents amid the inevitability of relegation, as was the case in 2003, the supporters still stay to clap from the pitch players who have drained their tanks of every last drop of effort to try to change the outcome.

And it is heartening, in this age of the increasing distance between player and fan, to leave The Hawthorns still and find Koren or Greening or Bednar or Olsson happily posing for pictures on eagerly clutched mobile phones while freely-signing memorabilia without questioning whether or not its going E-Bay.

All this comes to mind as today’s AGM once more brings into focus the shareholders row which some have billed as a battle for the soul of Albion.

Moderniser Jeremy Peace, depicted as a cold, corporate beast setting himself up for a financial killing, versus the little man with his one or two shares giving him a precious say in the running of the club.

I’m not sure that imagery rings true and ultimately where Albion fans stand will be decided by how good a job they feel Peace has done – few dispute it has been outstanding – and whether or not they would mind his walking off with a few squillion if he has sold a fitter, stronger club onto even better-appointed owners.

But I think the soul of Albion will be safe – as long as the players keeping making that walk from car park to changing rooms.