Ditch the paella Pepe Mel and grab yourself a pie

West Bromwich Albion confirmed on Thursday that the little-known Spaniard had been appointed as the club's new head coach.

As many fans reacted with 'Pepe – que?', most were ready to give him a go but they warned he needs to start learning how to 'spayke' proper English – Black Country – real quick.

The ink was barely dry on the Spaniard's contract, when fans began singing a chant penned by Stourbridge company director Andy Chater – 'Ole, ole, ole, ole. Pepe, Pepe'.

Dressed as Saint George at a Medieval banquet on Friday night, Andy, aged 55, whose company is in Lye, said: "I want the copyright on this song.

"What a formidable partnership – the Spanish Armada and the Barmy Army.

"But if he gets homesick, we'll have to keep him away from the Villa.

"He needs to sample some Bathams and faggots and pays – though being a Spaniard he'll probably want to go to the Bull Ring."

With soaring hopes that Pepe will help his team finish in the top half of the table, Andy on Saturday jetted off on a weekend break – to Spain.

Preparing for the long trip to the Baggies' match in Southampton on Saturday, travelling fans tested out the new chant as they left for the south coast.

A fan for more than 30 years, Julie Palmer, aged 51, of Windmill Street, Upper Gornal, Dudley, said: "He needs to learn Black Country – and get stuck into some pie-ella or a balti.

"The players should take him out around here to get to know the area."

Bert Beardsmore, aged 71, of Rose Hill, Willehnall, said: "He looks like an attacking sort of manager. He should go down the Labour Exchange if he wants to get to know the area."

Mike Brooke, aged 61, of Allendale Grove, Great Barr, said: "The choice was a bit of a surprise."

His wife, Nicky, aged 54, said: "Like everybody else, we don't know much about him. "Ideally I would love him to live in West Bromwich and get on the Birmingham scene – get to see the culture."

Nigel Barrett, aged 56, of Brocton, Stafford, said: "It seems very good judgement by our chairman, Jeremy Peace, although I haven't got an opinion on Pepe yet.

"He will definitely need to learn English – particularly Black Country."

With real Black Country spirit, what better way to welcome the new coach than give him a helping hand with what to expect when he arrives in the Midlands, as well as some English phrases that may come in handy during his time at The Hawthorns?

One thing's for sure, he won't want to get his 'boing boing', the famous Baggies' goal celebration, confused with Boing – a Spanish children's television channel operator.

When it comes to food, Madrid-born Mel will be more likely to tuck into a balti pie than a paella and sup on a Bathams than a Sangria at the ground. And he had better get used to the climate, with current temperatures at The Hawthorns more likely to require a woolly hat and gloves compared to the balmy Mediterranean climate of his former club Real Betis in Seville.

Dr Glyn Hambrook, a reader in comparative and European Literature at the University of Wolverhampton, speaks fluent Spanish and knows the country well. He said: "If the new manager gets nostalgic for Spanish food, his mood might be lightened by the knowledge that he'll find rough equivalents of lentejas con chorizo – lentils with chorizo – in Black Country 'grey pays and baircon' – Grey Peas and Bacon and oreja de cerdo – crunchy pig's ear – in our beloved 'pork scratchings'.

"He might also feel more welcome if he knows that to locals, even folks born outside the immediate area are locally known as 'furriners', and often have as much difficulty decoding the local dialect as he might."

The Baggies confirmed the 50-year-old as Steve Clarke's successor on an 18-month contract. The former Real Betis boss takes over for the televised home game against Everton on January 20.