Where new boss Ryan Mason ranks in youngest West Brom managers in history

Now, just shy of his 34th birthday, he embarks on a step away from his boyhood club Spurs and into the world of management as the second appointment made by Shilen Patel's ownership group.

Mason is Albion's youngest permanent head coach or manager in well over a century. You have to go back to 1902 for the last time somebody his junior was given the hotseat.

But where does Mason rank in terms of age of those appointed in the club's 147-year history?

We have scoured the records - excluding any interim or caretaker positions - to discover the youngest bosses in the club's proud history. Bosses listed with an asterisk denote those who were player-managers.

1. Fred Everiss (1902-1948) - aged 20

West Bromwich-born Everiss has the second-longest managerial reign in the history of association football. Back then, in the late 1800s and early part of the 20th century, bosses were known as 'secretary-managers', where the administration and paperwork was an important part of their role.

Everiss's tenure covered both World Wars. He oversaw a remarkable 1,520 games, with 656 wins.

2. Frank Heaven (1896-1902) - aged 23

Another of the secretary-manager ilk, Heaven was Everiss's predecessor for six years and oversaw the Baggies for more than 200 games, covering the turn of the century. Oversaw run to FA Cup semi-final and Division Two promotion.

3. Clement Keys (1895-1896) - aged 31

Served for one year prior to Heaven, Keys oversaw a team that finished bottom of Division One, but the club retained its status with 'test' wins.

4. Ryan Mason (2025-) - aged 33

Youngest to manager a fixture in the Premier League - he did so 13 times as caretaker for Spurs. Albion's new head coach on a three-year deal.

5. Johnny Giles* (1975-1977) - aged 34

Appointed before the second-tier promotion-winning 1975/76 campaign and played a big part both on the field and in the dugout in his two seasons at the helm. Returned in 1984.

6. Don Howe (1971-1975) - aged 35

Former playing stalwart at right-back. Managed at The Hawthorns for the best part of four seasons but his second resulted in relegation from the top flight. Subsequent finishes of eighth and then sixth - just after his exit - in the second tier. Managed 165 games in all.

7. Brian Talbot* (1988-1991) - aged 35

The experienced midfielder, a former Arsenal man, signed from Stoke in 1988 and was soon caretaker player-boss after Ron Atkinson. Then given the job permanently from November 1988 to January 1991 while still playing. He was dismissed after the FA Cup exit to non-league Woking and Albion were relegated to the Third Division later that term.

8. Jack Smith (1948-1952) - aged 36

Succeeded Everiss as football continued after the Second World War. Welshman Smith was the club's first-time manager. His side won promotion to the top tier and achieved respectable finishes.

9. Vic Buckingham (1953-1959) - aged 37

A long-serving boss, London-born Buckingham was a wing-half at Tottenham in his playing days. He led Albion to the FA Cup for the fourth time in 1954, the same season in which the Baggies finished runners-up to Wolves. Another FA Cup semi-final came in 1957. Buckingham managed 301 times.

10. Ron Atkinson (1978-1981) - aged 38

'Big Ron's' first spell came after spells at Kettering and Cambridge. His swashbuckling style thrilled fans en route to an FA Cup semi-final and UEFA Cup quarter-final. Albion finished third and fourth in the top tier under Atkinson, who returned in 1987.

11. Carlos Corberan (2022-2024), Roberto Di Matteo (2009-2011), Ossie Ardiles (1992-1993) and Alan Ashman (1967-1971) - all aged 39