Premier League: Craig Gardner appeals for unity at West Brom

Craig Gardner has issued a rallying call to West Brom’s fans, believing the club will be fine come the end of the Premier League season.

The Baggies are yet to win in the top flight this term under new boss Alan Irvine, collecting just two points from their opening four games to languish in the early Premier League relegation zone.

Some fans vented their feelings at the 2-0 home defeat by Everton on Saturday but Birmingham-born Gardner believes the club must stick together.

He told the Express & Star: “I am a local lad. I’m a fan and I know what it feels like.

“They (the fans) come to the games and they pay the wages but as a team, including the fans, we’re all in it together.

“West Brom is a family club and we give it everything we can and try our hardest every week. We just need to stick together.

“I know it’s frustrating but it’s early in the season and I think we’ll be fine.”

No-one hiding

Gardner, who arrived at The Hawthorns from Sunderland in the summer, added the players are up for the battle ahead and once they get a settled team it will help.

“We’re a team and we will take it on the chin,” he said.

“No-one is hiding, we are always trying to play and get results but this is the toughest league in the world. We will get there.

"We’ve still got three or four players missing from the squad. Once we get a settled team and work with that it will be better.”

Gardner rued the conceding of an early goal to the Toffees and failure to take chances.

“We conceded a goal really early again but then in the first half I thought we were unlucky,” he said.

"We had a few chances we could have converted and if we could have got one, it would have been a different game.”