The only way we're going to get players that good is to get them before they're famous -- i.e. for next to nothing.
Very true!
Albion have and always will be, whether we like it or not, a stepping stone for managers and players alike to go onto 'so called bigger things'!
We have over the years had some real talent. The days of loyalty have long since gone. Once the evil Luca comes into the equation, which is so prevalent now, they go!
Just look back over 15yrs or so at the players who did well at the Albion then left for what, to win trophies or money? Goodman, Gera, Kamara, Robinson, Hunt to name just a few. Did anyone even know they existed until they performed well at the Albion? Who did they join? Wow real big guns Sunderland, Fulham, Bolton & Charlton. Now these always challenge for honours don't they?
Whatever happens this season who knows? What I do know and glad of it, is the club is run financially well, we have a great youth system and we don't spend millions on average players!
Its been said many times before that in the top domestic league there are only 3 trophies to win. Therefore at maximum there can only 3 clubs win something. Does that mean everyone else is a failure? Of course not.
The Albion will be successful to challenge in the cups, hover a round mid table with a occasional burst higher and have a healthy balance sheet!
We have never in our long history been a Arsenal, Man Utd, Liverpool, Spurs and now a Chelsea. One league championship comfirms what we are, a Great Family Club who occasionally come up with a special player or team, then after a couple of years sink back to 'our' place in the pecking order.
With so much football on TV & the chance to see players from all over the world, it does appear certain Albion supporters cannot accept what we are and 'moan' about our Chairman not throwing millions on players that no doubt their agent as said is 'great'!. We all want them to do well but when we do ITS BECAUSE WE PUNCH ABOVE OUR WEIGHT, its not through the club getting 'bigger'.
1920 champions 1927ish relegated. Won the cup 31 & promotion, lost final 35, then 20 years before we really challenged again. That great mid 50's team lasted about 4 years, we had to wait to the middle to late 60's to win & lose cups, get into europe and hover around 6th every year. Relegation once again! More years pass until on UNTRIED MANAGER!!!! Johnny Giles (RE Steve Clarke) appears and we have a great football team which is developed but we won nothing! That mid 70's team would wipe the floor with most teams and yet, as I said we won nothing! But look at the pleasure they gave us though!
I won't go on and on about what happened after the break up of that team but for us all it was 'the dark age'. A nightmare!

Be realistic and be true to our roots. We are the Albion and WE ARE UNIQUE!
