Albion blog: The Bright Side of Life

I have mixed emotions at the moment regarding my support of the Baggies, part of me just wants the pain to stop and the season to come to an end, but then I know I will miss attending games and my football free Saturdays feel a little empty.

If you remember my blogs from last summer, I felt like a drug addict going cold turkey and I am dreading it even more so this year, with relegation lingering around us like a bad smell.

Sunday's game with Manchester City was just another re-run of so many games this season, I could almost just copy and paste something I had written a month ago and it would be appropriate.

Played well but ultimately came away with nothing, other than a few kind remarks from the opposing fans/manager about how pretty our football is to watch and more contentious decisions made by the officials.

Before I go on I would like to say a big congratulations to the Wolves, who this weekend confirmed their promotion to the Premier League.

It will be interesting to see how they approach bridging the gap between the two divisions. But, through gritted teeth and a little green with envy, I wish them well.

If our manager Tony Mowbray could turn back the clock 12 months, I wonder what he would do differently.

When I asked my mate the same question the weekend he answered - "nothing, he is too stubborn and pig headed to accept he had made any mistakes."

Although I can appreciate his thought process, only next season will tell us if Tony has learnt from the mistakes made this season.

His reluctance to change things this season and drop certain non performing players has gained him the "pig headed" tag.

Yet the majority of fans, me included still believe he is the right man to lead us onwards and upwards.

I think this season has hurt more than other previous relegations due to the expectancy we all felt at the start of the campaign.

My frustration is triggered by my belief that we have been so close to being good enough to survive, some parts of our game are very good, but unfortunately it has been the bad parts that have dictated our results and consequent fate.

During the past month, I had become so frustrated that I made the decision to stop writing the blog and inform the Express and Star they needed to find a replacement for next season.

Yet a brief conversation I had with my uncle John - a fellow baggie supporter - on Saturday has convinced me to stay, if required to continue next season.

The problem was simple, I would be low after a disappointing game, I would then have to relive it and write about it, when at times I just wanted to forget about it.

I will not go into the conversation we had, but the truth is I would miss it and I do not want anyone to feel like I was jumping a sinking ship.

Now is the time for us ALL to come together and stay united, next season will have its ups and downs. Lets face it, it wouldn't be Albion if it didn't.

Football is like a drug, the highs, as Wolves fans are experiencing at the moment are fantastic, but the lows can hit like a hammer.

But what is so fantastic about football is the fact there is always hope for the future, the next game, the following season, a cup run, a local derby, etc etc.

The truth is we have a great deal to look forward to and our hopes remain high.

We have a number of young players who are emerging as real talents, our youth sides are winning competitions and plaudits throughout the game.

Even the first-team squad, although requiring more balance, is good enough to ensure another fun filled Championship season that hopefully ends with promotion.

No I am not on drugs before you ask, sometimes it just takes someone else to point it out to you that things are never as bad as they seem.

"The Grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, something to love, and something to hope for" - Allan K Chalmers.