FanZone verdict - West Brom

Robinson: can't believe he's a waste of space!

Despite all his badge-kissing and fist-pumping action, his inability to defend or attack will not be missed... at all.

west Brom FanZoner Alex Skidmore
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West Brom FanZoner Alex Skidmore reveals his best (and worst) from the club's 2008/09 season...

PLAYER OF THE SEASON: In an ultimately disappointing season there have been few players who can honestly be considered for this award. Many have shown glimpses of talent however Jonas Olsson was severely hampered by injury and Gianni Zuiverloon failed to maintain his blistering early season form past October. Over the course of the season only Jonathan Greening, Robert Koren and Chris Brunt showed any levels of consistency - except Abdoulaye Meite who was consistently useless - with Brunt's outstanding contribution of 8 goals from the wide left position just shading it.

BIGGEST WASTE OF SPACE: Step forward Paul Robinson. With so many of our squad doing their utmost to take this award the "hard-man" left back snatched victory with the outrageous claim that he needs to leave West Brom this summer as he feels he's proven that he can cut it in the top flight (I must have missed that game). Having been relegated in all but one of the five seasons he's spent in the top flight with WBA and Watford, Robinson has single-handedly managed to cost us more goals and points than anyone else in our ramshackle defence, and despite all his badge-kissing and fist-pumping action, his inability to defend or attack will not be missed... at all.

BEST MATCH OF THE SEASON: Again, there were so few high points this season it's really hard to call. Sunderland at home was probably the one game which I enjoyed more than any other though. It was the only time this year where Mowbray's master-plan all came together. We dominated from start to finish, played the kind of football Dunga shows his Brazil side and says "that's the way you play amigos" and Juan-Carlos Menseguez's showboating and stunning solo goal at least allowed me to entertain few a few brief moments that we could and indeed would pull off another Great Escape.

DO YOU HAVE THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN CHARGE?: I don't mind admitting that I bought into the Tony Mowbray project. I believed every word of his teachings when it came to fluid football and delaying short term progress for the long term goal of establishing West Brom not only as a Premier League side, but as a beacon of total football in these dark and ugly long-ball times. But his Judas-like retreat to the football wilderness of the SPL will hopefully prove to be the beginning of a golden new era under a manager who appreciates the fact that you need to practice defending once in a while.

BEST THING ABOUT YOUR CLUB: For me, the one thing that makes me proud to be a West Brom fan is the fact we're respected by other football teams for doing things in the right way. We continue to over-achieve compared to similar sized clubs such as Derby, Ipswich, Norwich and Leicester despite lacking the big money backer many of these enjoy. Every penny we spend is raised through prudent financial management, and we invest heavily into our academy and scouting as these remain the one area where we can compete with the top clubs. Whilst many people see us as lacking in ambition, it'll take a lot more than a botched promotion campaign or a bored foreign millionaire to bring my club into financial ruin.

WORST THING ABOUT YOUR CLUB: Whilst I am particularly proud of the fact our club is run properly, it is frustrating to continually see other, smaller clubs like Wigan, Wolves, Pompey and QPR attracting wealthy backers whereas we're crying our for investment but with no joy. Our club has no debt, has outstanding facilities and wouldn't require massive investment to make it competitive in the top flight, yet our unglamorous standing in the game means we struggle to attract the interest we need. I'm not asking for an Arab oil billionaire to turn us into the next Chelsea, but someone with the good of the club at heart like Peter Coates or Eddie Davies who can afford to underwrite a couple of big earners to allow us to flourish in the top flight would be greatly appreciated.

TARGETS FOR 09/10: Whilst the number one target for next season is an immediate return to the top flight there are several other areas which need addressing. With Mowbray gone we need to make sure we appoint the right manager, who will continue the good work he and Mark Venus were doing.

REALISTIC IN'S AND OUT'S: We have a few players I wouldn't mind seeing the back of, and hopefully the likes of Paul Robinson, Luke Moore and Abou Meite who've all massively failed to deliver this season will be shown the exit. With our chairman stating we need to sell before we can buy, and also that he feels a squad of 20 core professionals enhanced with loanees and youth players is the way to go next season, I think we'll see squad players such as Kim Do-Hyeon, Marek Cech and Carl Hoefkens following Pele and Sherjill MacDonald out of the B71 revolving doors this summer.

Hopefully loanees Marc Fortune, Juan Carlos Menseguez and Yussuf Mulumbu will see their deals turned permanent as each one has shown he has a lot to offer club, and then a new left back such as Dan Fox from Coventry or Andy Surman from Southampton has to take priority. We desperately need strikers with Roman Bednar and Craig Beattie's futures in the balance and Luke Moore lacking any ability in front of goal potentially leaving Ishmael Miller as our only recognised striker next season despite coming back from a long injury lay off. Simon Cox has been linked, as has Gary Hooper after both scored bagfuls of goals in League One last season, but I feel we need someone proven at Championship level also. Ross McCormack or Cameron Jerome would be a quality signing, and a cheeky bid for Kevin Phillips would be interesting.

A central midfielder with a bit of bite would be useful too, Marvin Elliott would top the list for me, though Ferrie Bodde or Zheng Zhi would fill the void nicely, and a bit of pace on the wing would help out as well, but now I'm just being greedy.

WHY I HAVE RENEWED MY SEASON TICKET: Because I can't take anyone who doesn't have one seriously when they talk about football... and I'm a complete mug.

WHICH GAME CAN'T YOU WAIT FOR AND WHY?: There's not a lot of games which take my fancy this season if I'm honest. With Wolves and Blues both winning promotion we have no derby matches of note, and whilst Cardiff and Sheff Utd away are always tasty, it looks like I'm going to have to say Doncaster and Swansea away as I've not visited either of their new grounds yet.