Fans furious over new West Bromwich Albion head coach
Furious West Bromwich Albion fans today delivered a damning verdict on new head coach Alan Irvine – as Tim Sherwood revealed why he turned the job down.
Supporters draped banners over the gates at The Hawthorns calling for chairman Jeremy Peace to quit and others demanded season ticket refunds.
The banners were quickly removed and the club has told fans to put requests for refunds in writing to be dealt with on an individual basis, according to reports.
The 55-year-old former Preston and Sheffield Wednesday boss is a shock appointment after talks with Sherwood broke down last Friday.
Sherwood today explained why he pulled out, saying: "I went to speak to the chairman and the board there a couple of times and was happy with how the discussions were going. I was offered the job before we started to negotiate. It just wasn't right for me in the end, so I decided to give it a miss.
"It is a fantastic club and it looked on the outside like it might be a perfect fit for me, but unfortunately we couldn't agree for me to move forward. I wish them all the best and Alan in particular, someone I played with a long time ago at Blackburn.
"Discussions were going very, very well," he added. "I was pleased with most things we were talking about and it was a good opportunity for me to get back in very, very quickly. But, in the end, I decided when we prolonged the discussions that it wasn't right for me."
Fans have been left reeling by the news of the shock appointment of the low profile Scot to the job after Pepe Mel's departure at the end of the season.
More than 7,000 voted in an Express & Star poll with 84 per cent saying he was not the right man for the job.
Calls were growing today for Mr Peace, who is looking to increase his 67 per cent stake in the club, to step down.
Thousands have also taken to social media to direct their concerns at the club's own Twitter account and some have talked of organising a protest.
The news came on Saturday night, hours after many fans believed favourite former Spurs boss Sherwood was set to take the reins at The Hawthorns.
But bosses said the decision had come down to two candidates and they believed Irvine would be the man to take the club forward.
Irvine, aged 55, impressed The Hawthorns hierarchy in a round of second interviews on Friday and has signed a one-year rolling contract.
Irvine has landed the Hawthorns hot seat five years after missing out narrowly to Roberto Di Matteo in a previous race for the same job. Many supporters in West Bromwich town centre remained despondent over the news today.
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Lifelong fan Barry Shermer said he was extremely disappointed and feared for the relegation for the club next season.
"I feel completely let down by the club. I used to go to every home and away game of the season and this has hit me hard - I'm furious and disappointed," said the 61-year-old from West Bromwich.
David Bird, 64, also from West Bromwich, said: "This is a very bad move. We would have been better sticking with Steve Clarke, but the club never let him or Pepe Mel bring in their own team and it seems the same might have happened to Tim Sherwood."
On Twitter, Baggies fan Matt Wheatley said: "I'll never go to another West Bromwich Albion game whilst Jeremy Roland Peace is in charge. He is ripping the heart out of the club."
But the supporters club chairman, John Homer, today said fans should rally behind the club.
"Alan Irvine came as a surprise he's not a name associated with the Premiership or one that people really know," he said. "Both Irvine and Terry Burton have a lot of work to do before the season starts in six weeks.
"They need to pick a squad quickly so they can begin training, but they might struggle to attract players to the club so late on. Now is not the time to criticise Irvine. The proof of the pudding will be in the eating as they say."
