Albion old-boy Kevin Phillips believes the Baggies can stay in the Premier League this season – by following the blueprint laid down by current club Birmingham.

The 37-year-old is desperate for both clubs to establish themselves in the top flight as he battles back into the Blues’ picture following a thigh injury.

And Phillips, who remains a Hawthorns hero after firing the Baggies to promotion in 2007-08, reckons his old club are taking a leaf out of his current employers’ book by tightening up defensively.

He said: “When I was there we scored a lot but we were always likely to concede goals. That was something that we struggled to get right.

“But they seem to have made a lot of progress on that in the last couple of years.

“I have watched them a few times and they looked tighter at the back. And the other week they went to Anfield and only lost 1-0 to Liverpool and, I’m told, they were very unlucky.

“The gaffer here at Birmingham has got us very organised and we are really hard to beat, which is what West Brom are trying to do now.

“We are very strong at home and that is important. I think we are unbeaten in 17 or 18 home games and that is important for promoted teams.

“But we also have a fantastic spirit here at Birmingham, similar to the spirit we had when we got promoted at West Brom. That is vitally important for any club.

“If you look at history, teams that win things always seem to have that excellent spirit in the dressing room.”

Phillips hoped to make his comeback at the Hawthorns tomorrow, after returning to training for three days this week.

But boss McLeish has decided the striker needs more training before returning to action, leaving him as a frustrated onlooker.

He said: “It would be nice to play at the Hawthorns again because I never got chance to say a proper goodbye to the fans, who were always great with me.

“I went there on the back of a frustrating season with Villa, where I had struggled with injury and other things.

“And the football I played at Albion was up there with the best football of my career.

“As soon as I went there things just clicked for me, and some of the football we played as a team was outstanding.”