West Brom fan verdict: Tony Pulis is gone - We have our club back!

I have never been a fan of Tony Pulis’s brand of ‘football’. When we used to play his Stoke teams, I used to say ‘how can they watch that every week?’

We were now frequently being asked that question at away games.

I have been following the Albion home and away for over 50 years but I had never been so disillusioned.

I carried on going every week but it had become a chore, the best part of a matchday was a drink with my mates in the pub before and after the game.

Now there is hope again, I feel that the gloom has been lifted and we can now start enjoying the 90 minutes of football again.

I think that most Albion fans are realistic, we don’t expect to be top six and winning every week.

We would just like to be entertained now and again – to come out of the ground feeling that the team had given it all no matter what the result.

I believe that Albion are moving in the right direction in so many ways off the pitch, it was the dire football that was dragging everyone down.

On Saturday against Chelsea, it was like being at a funeral. We probably have the most talented collection of players that we have had for over 30 years, hopefully the shackles have now been removed and I see no reason why we can’t be a comfortable mid-table Premier League team.

Also, as next year is the 50th anniversary of our FA Cup win, let’s give the Cup a really good go.

I will always be grateful for what Gary Megson did for us but I don’t think he is the answer to our current predicament.

I just hope that the board move fast and make the right appointment and all the missing Albion fans return to The Hawthorns, get the place rocking again and help drag the team out of the relegation zone.

Wembley here we come! (on Saturday)... Let’s get this party started.

Dean Walton is author of the book Born To Be A Baggie and is currently writing a second one to be called Proud To Be A Baggie, which is due to be released in the new year.