Express & Star

Ryan Mason eager to write "fresh history" at West Brom

New West Brom boss Ryan Mason says he is eager to write "fresh history" at the football club.

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The 33-year-old was appointed on a three-year deal last week, succeeding Tony Mowbray who was dismissed on April 21. 

Mason visited the Hawthorns and the club's training facilities yesterday and spoke about his aspirations of creating a collective vision for success. 

"We've got a very passionate fan base," he said in his first club interview. "There's a deep history at this football club and you can't take that away from teams. 

"There is a very long history here, going back well before I was born. That's not going to change and hopefully we can create new history and be part of something special."

Albion will embark on their fifth successive season in the Championship, after falling four points short of the play-off spots in ninth-place in 2024-25.

New West Brom head coach Ryan Mason at The Hawthorns (Photo by Adam Fradgley/West Bromwich Albion FC via Getty Images)
New West Brom boss Ryan Mason pictured at the Hawthorns. (Photo by Adam Fradgley/West Bromwich Albion FC via Getty Images)

Semi Ajayi, Grady Diangana and John Swift will be leaving the club this summer and Mason acknowledged that reinforcements will naturally be needed. 

But he insists that he is excited by the current playing squad and is looking forward to laying down foundations from the outset during pre-season. 

"The playing squad excites me," he added. "Like any team in the off-season, you look at additions, that's only natural. 

"But that's probably thinking too far ahead, I want to get to know the players, get a feel for them and what they're about as characters. 

"It's really important to lay the foundations of how we want to play in pre-season. We need to get fit, strong and understand what we want to be and what we want to look like as a team. 

"I'm sure that's going to come round really quickly and it's something that I'm excited about."