West Brom run the risk of appearing whingers

Jeremy Peace is not one of football's firebrands. Ruthless, determined and unsentimental, yes, but the Albion chairman has never been a man to rock the boat with the game's authorities.

moreSo when Peace puts his head above the parapet, it's a sure sign he feels strongly.

Yet still, this week's attempt to force a debate on video technology was a high-risk strategy for the Baggies.

The club's letter to the Premier League and referees' boss Mike Riley clearly signalled they have reached the end of their tether after an opening part of the season in which injustice has dogged them.

But sporting and technical director Richard Garlick's appeal to Riley and the league, which would undoubtedly have been sanctioned by Peace, could work positively or negatively for Steve Clarke's team.

The Hawthorns head coach is unlikely to be upset about the club's move, even though he made the right noises in the wake of last weekend's controversy at Chelsea by urging fans and players to 'move on'.

It was a stock phrase and a sensible one from the Scot, but he has been at pains to highlight the growing list of rough calls against his side, clearly in the hope officials will look kindly on his team in the future.

So he will have his fingers crossed that the club's outspoken stance in the wake of Andre Marriner's howler at Stamford Bridge works in his favour.

Yet Baggies staff of longer standing will doubtless bear in mind the lessons of Gary Megson, who attempted to highlight similar issues during the Baggies' early Premier League adventures and discovered that his efforts were counter-productive.

Instead of highlighting Albion as deserving victims of injustice, the feeling at the club afterwards was that Megson's dossier on 'dodgy' decisions marked them out as whingers instead.

And that is a tag Clarke will be keen to avoid as he looks to continue establishing the club as a permanent Premier League fixture capable of maintaining that status under their own steam.

There is little doubt among regular Albion observers that the Baggies have a case.

If the success of Ramires' late tumble at Chelsea in earning his side an undeserved point was galling for Clarke and his players, then Howard Webb's failure to spot a blatant foul on

Youssouf Mulumbu in last month's draw at Stoke was arguably an even more shocking decision.

Clarke points, too, to the penalty awarded to Southampton on the opening day of the season and the spot-kick the Baggies didn't get when Shane Long seemed to be shoved in the home draw with Arsenal.

Neither of those decisions was clear-cut, but both were 50-50s and went against the Baggies, adding to the nagging feeling they rarely get their fair share of breaks.

Now, the response from officials and fans to news of Albion's complaint will be a useful gauge of just how far they have advanced in public perceptions since they took their first, tentative steps into the rebranded top division under Megson more than a decade ago.

Will they still be seen as Premier League poor-relations looking for excuses, as Megson's team were harshly branded following their own show of frustration?

Or will the improvement in fortunes in recent seasons mean their opinions are treated more sympathetically?

Peace clearly believes it is worth the risk, because he is not the type to make waves on a whim.

Clarke can only hope the calculated gamble does not backfire in his face.

Steve Madeley