Poom and El Karkouri collided with each other to leave Derek McInnes not being able to believe his look to stroke it home. His second came from a Jason Koumas free-kick after Poom could only save it with his legs after a deflection and McInnes followed the ball in. A Marcus Stewart goal put Sunderland back in the game but Albion left The Stadium of Light with all three points. Despite Albion clinching all three points over bottom of the league Sunderland, other results meant they were condemned to relegation back to Division 1.
After being mathematically relegated, Albion came out fighting and went ahead against Tottenham through a Danny Dichio header from a typical Jason Koumas cross. Spurs got back level through Robie Keane before a powerful Neil Clement free-kick put The Baggies back in front. Spurs soon equalised after Sheringham poked away a neatly worked free-kick before Keane settled the game with a left-footed strike near the end of the game.
Albion played host to Liverpool in the second of their back-to-back home games looking to make amends for their 2-0 defeat at Anfield in September. An uncharacteristic performance by Albion left Liverpool having a field day in front of
The Albion goal. Michael Owen opened the scoring on the 14th minute before a second half double from Baros and a treble from Owen left Liverpool 6-0 winners in the tie.
Albion’s final away game of the season
restored some pride as Albion took
a point away from Ewood Park.
Blackburn took the lead
through Damien Duff early
on as a he stroked a left-
footed strike past Russell
Hoult. Albion’s player of
the year, Jason Koumas,
produced something
special to level the
score as the midfielder
pick up the ball on the
half way line before
running at the
defenders and
blasted a left
footed shot home.
Albion ended their
Premiership campaign
at home against Newcastle
where Super Bob Taylor bid his
farewell to his Albion career after not playing much part in the campaign, despite being the player to score that famous goal against Crystal Palace on the final day of the previous season to send The Baggies up, he left to a standing ovation from all supporters in the ground in the first half. Jermaine Jenas gave Newcastle the lead on the stroke of half-time with a header but a neat side-foot finish got The Baggies back in the game after he placed the ball home from close range past Shay Given. A curling Scott Dobie (Pictured bottom left) effort put Albion in front after he showed some great energy to get the ball back deep in the Newcastle half. A Hugo Viana Free-kick on 80 minutes concluded the scoring of the first Premiership season for West Brom as they ended with the season with consecutive draws.
Despite their efforts, The Baggies hold a record not to be proud of as they were the only promoted team to get relegated in their first season, with Birmingham finishing 13th and Manchester City securing Uefa Cup qualification through the fair play award and finishing 9th in the league. Albion won just 6 of their 38 games, drawing 8 and losing 24, with 3 of their victories coming in consecutive games in September. They also finished with -36 goal difference, scoring 29 goals and conceding 65.
On the whole, the season was a disappointing one; a story of so close yet so far from August to May frustrated Albion fans, leaving them thinking of what could have been as they failed to build on their great month of September. Ultimately, the end of that season saw an overhaul in the Albion squad, with monumental players in the previous promotion campaign leaving such as Bob Taylor, Derek McInnes and Igor Balis which was followed by players coming into the Albion team who would soon establish themselves such as Paul Robinson, Thomas Gaardsoe, Rob Hulse and Geoff Horsefield which helped the Baggies to secure promotion. The 2002/03 season was the start of Albion growing stronger and, since, have been established in The Premier League which is astonishing considering just two years before the promotion to The Premier League, thy were faced with a relegation battle to the third tier of English football.
Despite making their highest ever Premier League finish last season in 8th, we’re in a sticky situation right now, let’s hope Pepe can get us out of it so the hard work from the clubs players, staff and hierarchy’s hard work over the last 12 years doesn’t go to waste.