The last 12 months have included few dull days at the Hawthorns and boss Roberto Di Matteo is confident Albion will leave 2010 a stronger club than they started it.

Di Matteo is known to be uncomfortable when it comes to self-praise.

But, after a stunning first full year in the Black Country, the Italian could be forgiven for a satisfied smile when he sits down to reflect the year that has just nine days remaining.

He said: “I haven’t done it yet because we still have games to play that could make a big difference.

“But I think we can be pleased. It has been a very good year for the club. We haven’t lost many games, we have scored a lot of points and done a lot of good stuff.

“We have broken a few boundaries with the best Championship year in the club’s history, the best start to the Premier League and the highest position in the Premier League.

“We have achieved a lot of new targets and broken a lot of records, like winning at places when we haven’t won there for many years.

“I think, all in all, it’s been a very positive year for all involved and on a very tight budget as well.”

Even the harshest Albion critic would struggle to disagree with the head coach’s assessment of the year.

His team recovered from a major January setback at home to Nottingham Forest to surge to promotion from the Championship, before confounding sceptics and shrugging off a hellish early-season fixture list to make a storming start to the Premier League season.

In 28 matches so far this year, Di Matteo’s men have lost just 12 times.

He said: “We haven’t had many setbacks. I think we are moving in the right direction, with a little bit of luck.

“I think the team and the club now is in a much better position than it was 18 months ago.”

The Italian has not been short of highlights-reel moments either, with promotion at Doncaster followed by memorable top-flight victories at Arsenal and Everton, along with a battling draw at Manchester United, leaving him uncertain when asked to select a favourite moment.

He said: “Middlesbrough away in the Championship was a great game but that back in 2009.

“Maybe the Doncaster game, because of the significance of us going up, was the best but Leicester at home was a good game too.

“Arsenal was a great day, probably because of the way we did it, but Everton was a hell of a performance as well.”

However, despite a raising of expectations around the Hawthorns, Di Matteo retains just one clear ambition for the next 12 months.

He said: “We hope that we are in the Premier League. That’s what we’re all working towards and it would be a magnificent achievement if we managed to be there in December 2011.”

First, however, Di Matteo and his players must ensure 2010 ends without an anti-climax.

They face two more matches before New Year’s Day – the Boxing Day trip to Bolton and a Hawthorns clash with Blackburn.

And, with Manchester United and Fulham in the Premier League and Reading in the FA Cup all waiting in the wings, the Baggies chief is conscious of the importance of the festive fortnight.

He said: “We look at the bigger picture and see that we have five games in 14 days including the FA Cup tie.

“But we don’t look too far ahead. We will go into the next game with the best available team and a team that we think can win.

“Then we will see what happens in that game in terms of how we come through, but the fact that we play again 48 hours later is going to have an impact.

“I remember as a player that it was impossible to recover in 48 hours so that will have an impact, but we will just have to take it game by game.

“We will have to see how they get through the games and how they are the day after. It will be a little bit like juggling.

“It is crucial but all the games are crucial because if you get here with 10 points in your hand then you are struggling, whether it is crucial or not.

“You need to be able to get to this point in a decent position and then makes sure you come out of it in a decent position as well.

“The crucial thing about it is that it is over a short period of time, so in 10 days you play for 12 points and they can make a huge difference.

“Usually that would be over four weeks, whereas now it’s over 10 days.”

By Steve Madeley