Another season of European football already assured. In the FA Cup final. Regarded once again as a force in the top flight. Not bad for what Everton’s chubby neighbour calls a “small club”. In returning to Roland Hughes*, the star of an excellent Who Are They? last season, we assumed Rafa would not be near the top of his Christmas card list. But then we’re just humouring Roly really, in the hope that his team will be kinder to us on Sunday than they have been in our last few encounters …

It’s been a fantastic season again. I was actually quite worried at the start as I really thought our place as the “next best team” would be threatened by more teams than in previous seasons – Villa, Spurs, Man City.

Thankfully, we’ve confirmed a place in Europe again (four top-six finishes in five years, not bad), and not just thanks to the other teams’ underperformance. We’ve also won a place in the FA Cup Final having beaten Boro, Villa, Liverpool and Man Utd to get there.

We are where we are through hard graft, some classy performances and having fought against the odds with key players (Yakubu, Arteta, Cahill and now Jagielka) out for long stretches of the season.

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Yes, I know it’s tempting fate.

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After being amused by a new terrace song that points the Mags in the direction of the Championship, Pete Sixsmith witnesses a performance at West Brom that suggests that they could well be singing it at us come the end of May …

Returning from the dismal performance at The Hawthorns on Saturday, we had a cathartic moment just to the east of Derby. As our convoy of unhappy travellers negotiated a roundabout, we were passed on the other side by coachloads of happy Wolves fans, returning from Barnsley having just been crowned Champions. Two clubs heading in different directions: their fate assured, ours in the process of being sealed.

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Tim Joyner* is our second Baggie from WBAzone.com

He was also a Sunderland fan, but only for one afternoon…

Sunderland first came to my attention as an 11-year-old back in 1973 when I watched the FA Cup Final against Leeds. As a young lad and a fanatical football fan FA Cup Final day was always a big event and I’d always choose a team to support for the Final.

Having always had an affinity for the underdog, I became a Sunderland fan for the day and vividly recall the match even now, the goal by Porterfield, Montgomery’s unbelievable saves and Bob Stokoe running onto the pitch.

That apart I must admit to not having really followed Sunderland’s fortunes too closely, there are the links with Super Kev, Kilbane and of course Don Goodman who was a very popular player at The Hawthorns and who still appears at Albion supporters functions now and then, and even more recently our former defender Paul McShane, a popular player with Albion fans.

Off the pitch your former manager Denis Smith had a spell as Albion manager during the late 1990′s and actually did a reasonable job considering the lack of any real finance available for team building during his spell in charge.

And now your questions:

Q1: Were you surprised to go up, and are you surprised to be where you are now?

I don’t think any Albion supporters were surprised at our promotion last season, we came very close to achieving promotion the previous season, narrowly losing the Play Off Final at Wembley against Derby. While our defensive frailties were, and still are, a major concern to Albion supporters our attacking play was outstanding and we deservedly won the Championship title in what was a hugely enjoyable season in which we also got to the Semi-Final stage of the FA Cup.
As for this season, Yes I am surprised to see us 8 points adrift from safety. While very few Albion fans were expecting anything other than a very tough season back in the Premiership, hopes were high that the squad was capable of avoiding an immediate return to the Championship with most of us very confident of finishing ahead of both Hull and Stoke who came up with us last season. Until our home defeat by Newcastle on 7 February there was genuine hope and optimism that we might avoid relegation and we went into that game with high hopes of a home victory having only lost one of our previous five Premiership home matches (and that against Manchester United) and gained a point at Hull the previous week with a good performance.
Since the hugely disappointing Newcastle defeat we have gained 3 points from the 21 points available and, despite an encouraging performance at Fratton Park against Portsmouth in a 2-2 draw on Easter Saturday, we are all now reconciled to Championship football next season.
Understandably, there is currently a downbeat feel among our support with many supporters questioning both the Board and Team Management. However, even at this stage of the season, with relegation a virtual certainty, there has been no vociferous dissent at any of our matches against either the Chairman or Team Manager. Having said that there are now a number of Albion fans openly calling for the managers dismissal on various Albion fan sites, although they appear to still be in a minority.
From a personal perspective I think the progress and improvements in the clubs infrastructure undertaken by our Board of Directors over the past 10 years deserves applause and without the benefit of outside finance the club continues to be run on a sound business like basis. There is no evidence to suggest we are likely to suffer the financial difficulties incurred by numerous other clubs and for this Jeremy Peace our Chairman deserves credit in my opinion.
As for Tony Mowbray, while his “Messiah” like status has obviously taken a “hit” he retains my own support and if, as I suspect, he takes on board the errors made this season, then I expect him to guide the club to a top six finish next season if not automatic promotion.

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You know how it is with London buses. It’s the same with Baggies. When Salut! Sunderland appealed for a West Brom fan ahead of this Saturday’s monumentally important game, it waited for ages before – courtesy of the admirable WBAzone.com fans’ site – two came along. Josh Roberts*, pictured, and Tim Joyner answered the call simultaneously. Both provided stimulating answers to our questions; Josh kicks it off and guess who he thinks is going down…

Q1: Were you surprised to go up, and are you surprised to be where you are now?

I was not surprised to see us go up, I was expecting at least playoff spot last season. Mowbray did an decent job in getting out the players who did not want to be here and bring in players who were of good enough quality to get us up and battle and gelling them into a team so quick.
As for this season, I had hopes like most Albion fans we could kick on and become established. Whether surprised is the word I don’t know. Using hind sight it’s not surprising at all if I’m honest all the signs of relegation are there for all to see, from the school boy errors we see every week in defence, to the aimlessness of our football at times in essence when you defend like we have at times, and when we fail to create enough chances it’s no surprise we are bottom of the league. The only surprising factor in my mind is how stubborn our manager has been in playing to his principles when a sacrifice to style at certain times would have been the best option. I am surprised to see us this far adrift as I honestly believe we do have a decent enough playing squad to be competitive at this level.

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At this stage of the season points are more important than performances, and no-one knows this better than Pete Sixsmith who, having narrowly avoided a heart attack while watching the match, goes on to enjoy a few pints of Deuchars and the impending demise of N**c***** Utd.

One of our better ones, I feel, at least results-wise. Nearly every result we could have wished for went our way.

First of all, we had to make sure that we pushed Hull City further down the slippery slope to the Great Grimpen Mire of the Championship. And we did it. I know it wasn’t the greatest of performances, but we won, had a little stroke of good fortune re. the goal and came away fairly certain that The Tigers will be sharpening their claws at Blackpool, Preston and Newcastle (dare to dream) next season.

It was a spectacularly awful game with both sides nervous and edgy. Hull came out with the express intention of breaking the game up and making sure that we did not control the midfield. Fortunately, Tainio and Leadbitter were not bullied out of the game by Boateng and Marney. Mike Dean’s reluctance to book any of their players until he was forced into it didn’t help and I still can’t fathom out how he could keep Mendy on the field after he kicked Richardson. Mike Dean, International Man of Mystery.

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With thanks again to Hull City’s Gary Clark, we conclude this week’s marathon look ahead to the game on Saturday, one that is vital to both clubs.On the big question – Sunderland or Hull to win – he wavers between a narrow victory for City and a draw…

City played Newcastle at the height of the protests against Kevin Keegan’s latest departure and I was stopping over in the Toon at the time.

So I read all the local newspapers and watched the local telly about the forthcoming protests and their chances against Hull.

The best result the fans interviewed gave us was a 4-0 defeat.

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You’ll have started to get the drift. Gary Clark answers all the usual questions but does so in his narrative. Here he discusses what he believes to be Hull City’s solid base and has kind words about decent ordinary players who give their hearts for the club they’re playing for. No need then, on Gary’s assessment, for Ian Hesford to step up to collect his award…

Hull have to survive this season and if we do we will be stronger club for a number of years to come.

It has to be remembered that we are under new ownership, the present board has only been here just over a year.

They came with a five year plan and we are already well in front of it. Promotion to the Premier League was totally unexpected even this time last year and as a result a lot of the backstage stuff such as ticket allocation is still geared up the the Championship.

Not that I’m knocking the Championship, far from it, but the club trebled in size overnight and it takes some getting used too.

Hull will be financially better off than many clubs in this league who operate with huge debts. Mainly because we have a ground that is paid for and relatively cheap to run and we have no long standing debts as such.

I think the bank overdraft is £2m and the club only have that because of some time lapse in getting hold of the Sky money.

The people who bought Hull for £12m offered £68m for West Ham, so do we have a war chest? I would have thought it depends which war we are fighting in. Compared to the top half dozen clubs in the PL Hull are still relative paupers and it will always be like that.

It has been said that Wigan are the example to follow but I disagree because Hull are potentially bigger than Wigan. I would like to be on par with yourselves. To do that we have to have at least five years at this level and increase the capapcity of our ground.

We have sold out every game this season and its probably 10,000 under sized at the moment. We get 24/25,000 now and we could be getting 30/35,000 if we had the seats, but that will only happen if we stay up for more than a season.

The same young lad I spoke to at Boro about the away ticket allocation had a different view on City’s best ever players. He thought Marlon King was.. he wouldn’t have even entered my head as a candidate. But you can see where he’s coming from. King was our number 9 when we were in the top six of the best league in the world and he was scoring goals at that level, so of course we let him go!

All my favourites played mainly at the old second division standard. Two stand out Chris Chilton and Ken Wagstaff. Both would have played for England if we had reached the First Division or played for more fashionable clubs.

Chilton was Don Revies number one choice for Leeds United but Hull wouldn’t sell him so he signed Mick Jones instead who went onto play for England. Wagstaff was as good as Jimmy Greaves and he possibly missed out on international honours by staying at Hull when Brian Clough wanted him at Derby then Forest.

From the present crop Geovanni can be something very special but for 100 per cent commitment and reliability it has to be Nicky Barmby. If anyone keeps City in this division it will be Barmby.

I also have a soft spot for good honest players like Billy Whitehurst, Pete Skipper (ex Darlo) Les Mutrie (ex H’pool) and from today’s squad our captain Ian Ashbee.

My worst ever player would be ex-Sunderland goalkeeper Ian Hesford. I thought he was sh***, unfit, not bothered and and not fit to lace Jeff Wealands’s boots.

Of course Hesford arrived at Hull on the back of the deal that took Tony Norman to Sunderland. He arrived with Whitehurst who was returning to us after making his name at Newcastle, Sunderland and anywhere else that would employ him. Whitehurst first time round was fabulous for City. When he arrived he couldn’t trap a bag of cement; when we sold him, after coaching from Chilton, he was one of the most feared centre forwards in the country – on and off the field.

If I named all of the Tigers worst players I would be here all week because we spent a generation at the bottom of the ladder and we have had some dross though our hands. I can accept that, and any player that pulls on that black and amber shirt and gives 100 per cent for the badge is a star in my eyes, no matter what league we are playing in. It’s the idle, couldn’t care less money grabbers that I have no time for. Sadly Hesford fits that bill.

Yet more on Hull from Gary Clark. Here, the Tigers’ prolific scribe discusses his candidates for relegation, wonders how Stoke can get away with playing on an under-10s size pitch and questions Alan Shearer’s appointment…

I do not think Phil Brown has been linked to the Sunderland manager’s osition since we dropped out of the top half of the table.

He hasn’t appeared on Question of Sport since either. Or been linked to the England job. In fact if we do go down this season he will have a battle on to keep the job he has.

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Gary Clark continues his entertaining look at Hull’s Premier season ahead of our vital clash this weekend…

The Premier League experience has been beyond my wildest dreams and at times and like a kick in the bollocks cruel at others.

To watch my team play on an equal footing at places like Old Trafford, Anfield, The Emirates and Stamford Bridge has been a dream come true.

It’s what keeps football at grass roots level going and I do seriously believe Hull City FC have been the football story of the decade, a modern day Wimbledon.

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