With West Brom on the brink of a return to the Premier League, Chris Burton chats to Jerome Thomas.
As part of skysports.com's Championship spotlight, Chris Burton catches up with West Brom winger Jerome Thomas.
The Promised Land is now within sight for West Bromich Albion, with a return to the Premier League almost secured at the first time of asking.
The Baggies tumbled out of the top flight in 2009, earning many admirers for the manner in which they went about their business under Tony Mowbray, but they were ultimately unable to get to grips with life at that level.
Unfortunately, that has become something of a recurring theme for the Midlands club, as they appear too good for the Championship but not good enough to hold their own among England's elite.
Perhaps, though, they are better prepared this time around with the 2010/11 campaign destined to see West Brom back in the big time.
They deserve a lot of credit for the way in which they continue to bounce back from crushing setbacks, with this not the first time they have spent just the one season in the second tier.
Gary Megson and Mowbray have both taken the Baggies into the Premier League in recent seasons, but neither has been able to keep them there.
This time around Roberto Di Matteo is at the helm, with the highly-rated young coach doing his reputation no harm after an impressive display in The Hawthorns dugout.
The Italian is coming towards the end of only his second season in management, but has offered enough during that short time to suggest he is a potential coaching star of the future.
West Brom will of course be hoping that they continue to benefit from his expertise, and believe the former Chelsea midfielder is the ideal candidate to finally establish the club at the top of the game.
Time will tell if they are right, or if they are able to hang onto his services, but for now West Brom are more concerned with getting over the finish line this term and cracking open the champagne.
They require just a point to rubberstamp promotion, while the Championship title could yet be claimed if Newcastle suffer a post-promotion wobble heading down the final straight.
A trip to Doncaster Rovers on Saturday is expected to see the Baggies home, allowing them to relax in the final three games of the season.
Expectations
Jerome Thomas, a man drafted in last summer as a free agent to help the promotion push, is expected to be among those on show at the Keepmoat Stadium, and he is determined to get the job done as soon as possible.
Skysports.com's Chris Burton caught up with the tricky winger ahead of what could be a pivotal weekend for the Baggies and found the 27-year-old to be in buoyant mood - surprise, surprise.
"All the lads have worked hard and one of the reasons I signed for West Brom in the Championship was because they were favourites to go back up," said Thomas.
"We were expected to do what Newcastle have done, but if we get promoted we are going to be happy regardless.
"I think, with our goal difference being superior as well, it is just a point we need now. Doncaster will be a hard game, but we will be going there to get three points.
"Once second place is secure, automatic promotion, we are going to be pushing to try and catch Newcastle. I think that shows the kind of ambition we have at this club.
"We are over the moon at how we have done and we will be happy with automatic promotion, as the play-offs were never an option. But once it's secure there will be no complacency or taking our foot off the gas before the end of the season. We want to catch Newcastle."
West Brom find themselves on the brink after finding form at just the right time, piecing together an eight-match unbeaten run.
They hit top gear just as closest challengers Nottingham Forest were struck down with a serious case of travel sickness, but Thomas always believed the Baggies had enough to see off Billy Davies' Reds.
"I remember when they (Forest) came here to our ground for a
Sky game on a Friday, they were on an incredible run and came and beat us and I think a lot of people thought that would be the difference," said Thomas.
"But I always had confidence. I didn't think they could continue on that run and I thought we could get back up. I'm happy for all the lads because we have done great."
West Brom's cause has undoubtedly been helped this season by the fact that they have been through all this before.
Ambitious
Thomas admits there is no substitute for experience, but believes the club have progressed since they last found themselves in this situation.
He said: "They have got the experience and have done it before so it's just a case of getting established and staying in the Premier League. That will be my job next season, helping the team do that.
"I think we have got a lot of young players who are ambitious - the likes of Ishmael Miller, who has come back from injury, James Morrison, who has come back from injury, so those two will be fighting fit next season. Then you've got myself, Graham Dorrans, Giles Barnes, Chris Brunt, we are a young team and we are very ambitious.
"We are going into the Premier League trying to play our game, attack teams and score goals. We will be looking to play exciting football, but our main aim will be to stay in the Premier League this time."
With thoughts already beginning to turn towards next season, West Brom know a return to the Premier League will see them rekindle old rivalries with a number of near neighbours.
With football in the Midlands on the up, the Baggies could find themselves in direct competition with Birmingham, Aston Villa and Wolves next term.
"I know a few of the Wolves lads because I was there pre-season, and they have done well so I'm happy for them," said Thomas.
"It will be good for the area of Birmingham. It will be good for the fans to have that rivalry, definitely.
"It's funny. It's been really good for the Midlands recently. I'm sure all the supporters are really excited about the competition."
Thomas is also excited about making a return to the top flight on a personal level, having been released by Portsmouth at the end of the 2008/09 campaign.
He has had to take the scenic route back, after Wolves and Hull City decided against offering him terms last summer, but the former Arsenal trainee insists he had no qualms about stepping down a level in order to reach his ultimate target.
"It was hard. Getting relegated at Charlton was a reality check, and then I had to work hard to get out of there," he said.
Fate
"I finally got back to the Premier League with Portsmouth, but then did my back after two appearances. It was hard and I had to go out and prove myself.
"I didn't really want to come and play in the Championship, to be honest, but I did because West Brom were favourites to go back up, I liked the facilities and I liked what I heard from the manager. Now we are almost back in there and hopefully next year we can stay there.
"I'm a strong believer in fate and that everything happens for a reason, so I'm happy it's all worked out. I have been working hard this season, staying injury free, and I'm excited, with getting a full pre-season coming up, about how I will perform next season."
Thomas insists he never had any doubts he would grace the Premier League again, even when he found himself without a club last year, and he is delighted to have been offered another opportunity to try his luck against the best in business so soon.
He said: "When they say, 'go on trial' you are banking on your own ability, so you have to go and prove what you can do. It may not have even been an issue about my ability and more about the injuries. A lot of clubs might have not wanted me to sign and then break down.
"But I was always confident in my own ability, football-wise and staying injury free. The physios at West Brom have been great with me, I have been doing extra work every day in the gym. Even when we have had two games a week I have been going in twice a week, keep strengthening, and all that hard work has paid off.
"Now I can relax, let everything settle down in the summer and crack on again pre-season.
"I have just turned 27 and having been out of it for a while, a reality check in that sense, I am excited about getting back there. Having a full pre-season will help and I am definitely excited about setting up and scoring a few goals in the Premier League next year."
Thomas penned a two-year contract upon his arrival at The Hawthorns last summer and hopes a number of impressive displays next term will allow him to extend his association with the club.
"I am happy here at the moment and I can't complain," he said.
"The club is great, all the backroom staff, the physios, everyone has been great with me. I am excited to be working with the gaffer and Eddie (Newton) and seeing how they do next year.
"It's all a learning curve, but it's exciting. Keeping West Brom in the Premier League will now be my personal aim for the foreseeable future."
