One last Boing for the Baggies

So here it is the final game of the season, and like all good things, this season must come to an end, writes Albion blogger Jarrod Hill.

It feels like a life time ago when I was sitting in a pool side bar in Portugal blowing the froth of a few cold ones while watching Roberto Di Matteo`s side get hammered by the recently crowned Premier League Champions Chelsea. Nothing that day suggested we would be entering into our final game of the season clear of danger and looking to cement a mid table finish, but as Jimmy Greaves famously put it "football is a funny old game".

Fast forward to October 16 and we were walking out of Old Trafford singing our heads off and celebrating a remarkable comeback from two goals down to take a point off Manchester United. Only now do we realise what an achievement that was when you consider up until this forth coming weekend we are the only side to take anything away from the theatre of dreams.

The draw against the Red Devils came on the back of a home draw against Bolton and the amazing 3-2 win away at Arsenal. It proved to be heady days for us baggies and after beating Fulham at home the following week we found ourselves fourth in the table, nine games played 15 points already clocked up and things couldn't have been rosier in the Hawthorns garden.

Next up an away trip to Blackpool and although they had already had some good results themselves confidence was high. In steps a certain Mr Michael Oliver who not only gives a rather soft penalty but also sends off Pablo Ibanez, and like an undone stitch, we fall apart. Two players sent off, a battle that nearly ended in us taking a point, and all of a sudden the wheels had come off in the space of one game.

It took another five games before getting another win, a 4-1 win away at Everton followed by another three points at home to Newcastle and we were back up to 8^th in the table and the team was looking comfortable. Unfortunately we lost a number of key players to injury around that time including Jonas Olsson, and the next eleven games gave us one win, which was a nervy "skin of our teeth" win against Blackpool.

The team looked devoid of the cavalier spirit they had shown at the Emirates and Old Traffford, heads were dropping quicker than the price of a timeshare in Beirut, and fans began to fear relegation for the first time this season.

After a predictable 3-0 loss at Manchester City I was at home preparing the Sunday lunch when Pete Danckert rang me to tell me that Roberto Di Matteo had been placed on gardening leave. Our conversation probably lasted a while but all I can remember thinking is what a gamble Jeremy Peace had just taken. I even said in my blog at the time that our Chairman would live and die by the decisions he makes and this was a pretty big one to call. Only time would tell whether he had got it right, and even now we will never know if Roberto could have turned things around, but the fact remains, his decision to replace Roberto Di Matteo with Roy Hodgson has now been fully justified.

First game in charge and Wolves came to town also looking to drag themselves away from the relegation places. Things looked to be getting off to the worst possible start for Roy Hodgson until a shot by James Morrison was fumbled and Carlos Vela pounced to give us a last minute equaliser in the Black Country Derby. Looking back now that goal could have been the building block to which we now stand on. A loss in that game would have had a disastrous effect on both the players and fans alike, but we managed to move on and a six game unbeaten run under our new Head Coach soon had us on the up again. A brilliant performance at the Stadium of Light and we found ourselves up to 10^th in the league and in truth have been comfortable ever since.

Roy made some simple changes to what we do as a team when not in possession of the ball and those small changes have had some large effects on our season. Not only are we now planning for another crack at the Premier League but we have also had the pleasure of conducting a memorial service for the hoodoos we have managed to knock off our shoulders and bury once and for all. Wins against Liverpool and Aston Villa and a draw away at Stoke showed that things are changing at the Hawthorns, and we now have a Premier League squad and a Premier League manager to lead them.

This season has been quite remarkable, a season I will never ever forget, and even when I am only writing about it I feel exhausted. Just remembering the tension of going to games, the moment Chris Brunt stepped up to hit his second penalty against Liverpool, and the second half collapse against West Ham, the range of emotions this season have been poles apart.

But now and probably only now, can I look back with a huge smile on my face and realise what a truly wonderful season of football this has been. I know its not over quite yet, and we have to play Newcastle on Sunday, but as long as we avoid any needless red cards or injuries, the game will be a side show to what happens elsewhere and I am more than happy for that to be the case.

I may not receive any commission for how many end of season dvds the club shop sell this summer, but I for one will definitely be purchasing one, even at fifty quid each they would still represent value for money.

Anyway time to go, I need to go and blow the dust off my golf clubs and take a look at the DIY list I have ignored since last August.

See you next week for the final blogs of the season.

Boing boing.