October 2001 news

31th-30th-29th-28th-27th-26th-25th-24th-23rd-22nd-21st-20th-19th-18th-17th-16th-15th-14th-13th-12th-11th-10th-9th-8th-7th-6th-5th-4th-3rd-2nd-1st

Palace 0 v 1 Albion
(31/10/01)

VETERAN striker Bob Taylor played his part in adding West Bromwich Albion's name to the congestion at the top of Division One with a real poacher's goal. Ten places, but just seven points, separated the teams at the start of play. However, the 34-year-old's instincts did Wolves and Coventry a favour as he eased himself between two defenders to control Michael Appleton's pass in the 63rd minute, turned adroitly and flicked the ball past Matt Clarke. The warning signs had been there at regular intervals for Palace. Uwe Rosler should have marked his West Bromwich debut with a goal after splendid work by the two wing-backs, Neil Clement and Des Lyttle, in the 18th minute. Rosler, on loan from Southampton to replace the injured Scott Dobie, powered a header against the crossbar but lost his composure when the ball fell invitingly and volleyed high and wide. Palace's angled passes into the spaces down either side of the Baggies' three-man defence at least held the promise of a goal. The prolific Clinton Morrison stretched goalkeeper Russell Hoult just after half-time before Taylor showed the route to goal.

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Dichio deal is dead
(30/10/01)

West Brom have given up in their attempts to sign Sunderland striker Daniele Dichio on a permanent basis, following his successful loan spell at the Hawthorns earlier in the season. The former QPR star started three games for the Baggies, scoring twice, but the chances of a longer stay have now ended.West Brom's chairman Paul Thompson told the club's official website: "The price has gone up again from what we believed was acceptable to Sunderland and therefore we will not be signing the player. "I have always made it clear to our supporters that it would be extremely difficult to sign Danny Dichio because of the vast gulf between Premiership and first division wages. "I also understand from Sunderland that another club with more resources than West Bromwich Albion is interested in signing Danny." Gary Megson's side lie 11th in Nationwide Division One and take on high-flying Crystal Palace on Wednesday night at Selhurst Park.

Uwe Rosler on loan
(30/10/01)

.WEST BROM have signed Southampton striker Uwe Rosler on loan. Rosler has made just five appearances for Saints this season, and in 29 outings for them in all, he has netted just once. The 32-year-old German is set to make his Albion debut at Crystal Palace on Wednesday night. Manager Gary Megson has found himself requiring cover for top scorer Scott Dobie, who was injured against Wolves last week. Rosler stamped his pedigree in England between 1994-98 when he hit 50 goals in 150 games for Manchester City. Meanwhile, there is less positive news for Albion regarding another striker. They have been unable to agree either a fee with Sunderland for Danny Dichio or personal terms with the player, who impressed on loan earlier this season (two strikes in 3 games). The Baggies recently increased their original offer of £750,000 to counteract what they claimed was the Premiership club's asking price of around £1million. But after further discussions, chairman Paul Thompson said: "I have spoken to Sunderland chairman Bob Murray and, as a result of that conversation, it is not possible for West Bromwich Albion to sign Danny Dichio. "The price has gone up again from what we believed was acceptable to Sunderland and therefore we will not be signing the player." He added: "We discussed wages with Danny's representative and, based on that discussion, it is not possible for us to agree terms with the player."

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Barnsley 3- 2 Albion << More (28/10/01)
This scoreline had seemed unlikely when Johnson scored from 40-yards with a first time effort following a poor clearance by Barnsley keeper Kevin Miller. But Dyer's equaliser a minute later kick-started a Barnsley revival. In the dying minutes of the game, Bob Taylor was dismissed for feigning a headbutt at Miller.

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West Brom 1 v 1 Wolves (25/10/01)
Neil Clement, who was watched by Blackburn Rovers, rescued a point for West Brom in a highly charged local derby at the Hawthorns with a dramatic second half equaliser scored direct from a free-kick. High-flying Wolves were looking for their sixth successive win but in the end they had to hang on grimly for a point, which took them to the top of the First Division.

WE WERE WORTH OUR POINT - MEGSON
(25/10/01)

West Brom boss Gary Megson claimed his side were well worth their point in a 1-1 draw with Wolves at The Hawthorns. Nathan Blake gave Wolves the lead in the first half but Neil Clement smashed home a 69th minute free-kick. "I was not particularly happy with the Wolves goal - it was awful from our point of view," said Megson. "But in the second half we caused them a lot of problems and I can't remember them doing anything to threaten our goalmouth. "After the break we were by far the better team. "We passed the ball well and our movement was good but I still didn't think we did enough. A draw is probably a fair result."

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West Brom raise offer in move for Dichio
(24/10/01)

Danny Dichio's on-off move to West Bromwich Albion was last night revived as the Baggies finally backed down in the price war over the Sunderland striker. Albion manager Gary Megson initially insisted he would not match the Black Cats' £1m valuation of the 27-year-old after claiming a fee of £750,000 had been struck between the two clubs. But, with the First Division promotion challengers struggling badly for goals in recent weeks, Megson has agreed to pay a seven-figure sum to end Dichio's Wearside exile. That decision was made during a meeting between Megson, Albion's Sunderland-born chief executive John Wile and chairman Paul Thompson at The Hawthorns yesterday. But the Baggies will not do a deal until Dichio has fully recovered from the broken foot that spelled a premature end to his loan period in the West Midlands. "It's been agreed we will go and increase the offer we made for Danny Dichio to what I believe is the figure Sunderland will accept," said Megson. The Albion manager has a £4m transfer kitty following Lee Hughes' move to Coventry - with Tranmere's Jason Koumas his other top target. Megson added: "I will be really frustrated if we're a mid-table team with millions in the bank. "I think every club with ambition has got their best opportunity this season because the division is so close. "This club has got the best opportunity it has had for donkey's years to get itself up. But if we stick with what we have got now, we won't." Megson has realised Albion's promotion chances hinge on him spending the Hughes money and he knows he cannot afford to quibble over £250,000 if he is serious about landing his top targets. Dichio is back in training at Sunderland. But, until he has proved his fitness, Albion will hold fire on the deal. Danny has still not recovered from the broken foot he suffered while on loan here," said Wile. "If anything is going to happen it would need to be as and when the player is fit. We can't sign an injured player." Meanwhile, Sunderland reserves take on Manchester City at New Ferens Park this evening looking to build on an emphatic 4-1 win at Bolton last week. The Black Cats have won two and lost three of their five FA Premier Reserve League fixtures. Sunderland boss Peter Reid may choose to give Emerson Thome another run-out to boost his fitness ahead of this weekend's Premiership clash with Arsenal at the Stadium of Light.

LYTTLE RETURNS TO FACE WOLVES
(24/10/01)

West Brom defender Des Lyttle will return for the clash with Wolves after missing the 2-0 defeat by Norwich. Lyttle was given permission by Baggies boss Gary Megson to miss the game following the birth of his daughter. Ruel Fox is expected to start on the bench as he continues his fight for a first-team place following a rib injury. Wolves manager Dave Jones has no fresh injury worries for the televised clash at The Hawthorns which could see Wolves go back to the top of the table. Ludovic Pollet has returned to light training after a badly sprained ankle, but will not be in contention.

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Koumas agent hints at West Brom move
(23/10/01)

Jason Koumas' agent says he expects to receive another approach from West Brom for the Tranmere midfielder. Baggies boss Gary Megson is rumoured to have watched Koumas set up the only goal of the game as Rovers beat Huddersfield 1-0. Now West Brom look set to increase their efforts to snatch the £2million-rated Wales international. Albion have already had a bid turned down, but Koumas' agent Peter McIntosh admitted his client was willing to discuss terms if the right offer were to come in. McIntosh told the ': 'We've heard nothing new but I wouldn't be surprised if we did pretty soon. 'We know they watched him on Saturday. If Tranmere and Albion agree a fee then we would be willing to talk. 'Jason is well aware that Albion are a sleeping giant and he'll be keen to go somewhere he will play straight away.'

MEGSON: GIVE ME THE CASH TO SUCCEED
(23/10/01)

Gary Megson has urged the club to allow him to splash out on new players and secure the club a place in the Premiership. Megson, who has around £4million to spend, has been tracking unsettled Sunderland striker Danny Dichio but insists that he must be allowed to strengthen his squad further. Megson said: "We know Danny Dichio is available and we know the price. "I will be really frustrated if we're a mid-table team with millions in the bank because I think every club with ambition has got their best opportunity this season because the division is so close. "But we are too weak at the moment. We may be five points off top spot but we're also only five points off 16th. "This club has got the best opportunity it has had for donkeys years to get itself up. But if we stick with what we have got now, we won't."

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Another TV horror show
(20/10/01)

Gary Megson branded last night’s performance at Norwich as a “complete waste of time” as Albion served up yet another TV horror show. The Baggies were facing the cameras for the first time since the Hawthorns debacle against Millwall eight days previous. And although the performance was a slight improvement, the result was a carbon copy 2-0 reverse. Two pieces of schoolboy defending in the opening 16 minutes gifted the Canaries a two-goal cushion courtesy of Baggies bogeyman Iwan Roberts’ sixth of the season and Mark Rivers’ first strike since his £600,000 summer switch from Crewe. Norwich have now surged above Albion into second spot, ahead of this afternoon's First Division programme, after making it six league wins out of six at Carrow Road – a new club record. As for Megson, he has been left picking up the pieces from the Baggies’ third defeat in four matches ahead of next Thursday’s Black Country cruncher with Wolves. And the straight-talking manager pulled no punches as he summed up Albion’s dismal display. “We wasted the first 15 minutes by giving a good side a two-goal start,” he said. “We dominated the rest of the match – but it was a complete waste of time. We got the game totally upside down. “We have to start games much more positively than that. “We bossed it in the second half, having shot upon shot and putting cross upon cross in their box. We were on the front foot - but we had given ourselves a mountain to climb. “We didn’t start on the front foot and you can’t expect Norwich to let us go strolling about with the ball. We started poorly and paid the price. “The only pleasing thing we can take out of tonight is if the players learn the lessons they have been taught. That remains to be seen.” Megson was livid with the manner in which Albion surrendered the two-goal lead. “We were trying to play possession football during the first 15 minutes in our own half and you just can’t do that,” he added. “We got caught in possession for the first goal and we allowed a ball to bounce in our box for the second. They weren’t particularly well worked goals by Norwich – but they didn’t have to be. “It was slack to say the least. I’m surprised we haven’t already learnt that lesson. “We should be scoring goals but it’s very difficult to start catching teams on the break and creating space behind them when you give them a two-goal start. All they had to do was sit eight players behind the ball and keep defending.” To add insult to injury, Darren Moore and skipper Derek McInnes both joined Michael Appleton on four bookings – just one away from a one-match ban Des Lyttle was a shock absentee from Megson’s XI but the Albion boss later revealed the ex-Forest defender was at his wife’s bedside after giving birth yesterday morning.

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Rovers in for Clement
(19/10/01)

BLACKBURN ROVERS manager Graeme Souness has revealed that he has made an enquiry for West Brom's Neil Clement. Souness is still looking to bring in a left-sided defender, despite the recent acquisition of versatile Swede Nils Johansson. "We have made an enquiry about Clement," said Souness. "But at this moment in time West Brom don't want to sell him. "He's someone we had targeted for a while because he's a young man with lots of promise and we felt he was one who could only get better. "He's the right age because we're looking to build a back four which could stay together for a very long time. "So he's one we would definitely like to buy but, after making an initial enquiry last week, West Brom have since come back and said they wouldn't even entertain an offer." Clement has recently rejected a new deal at The Hawthorns and speculation has been rife that he could be set for a big-money move to The Premiership. Blackburn, Middlesbrough and Aston Villa have been strongly linked, but now Rovers are the first to confirm contact.

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Megson denies Owls link
(18/10/01)

West Brom boss Gary Megson has rubbished reports he is about to become manager of Sheffield Wednesday. The former Hillsborough midfielder still lives in Sheffield. But he dismissed reports he was returning to the Owls following the resignation of Peter Shreeves.Megson is contracted to the West Midlands club until 2005 and he said: "This is just a natural thing that happens whenever a club parts company with its manager. "What people have done since Peter has left is have a look around at who might be available. "They obviously look at who is out of work and then move on to people who played for the club in question and are in management. "I just fall into the second category - and that's it."

Jason out till after the new year
(18/10/01)

Gary Megson fears he may not be able to unleash Jason Roberts back on First Division defences until the fizz has gone out of the New Year celebrations. Record signing Roberts has suffered a disastrous start to the campaign, having broken his foot during pre-season and then re-fracturing the same bone on his return against Manchester City six weeks ago. Last season’s 17-goal striker is still on crutches and Megson has scrubbed the 23-year-old out of his plans for at least the next eight weeks. “We’re going to have to be looking at between the middle of December and the beginning of January before Jason is fully fit for first-team action,” said the Albion manager. “He’s been in plaster for three weeks and he’s now on crutches for another three. “During this process, he has suffered muscle wastage because he hasn’t been using his leg. “Even when Jason’s surgeon says it is okay for him to resume training, he will then have to take it steady and will basically have to do another ‘pre-season’ to brush up on his fitness.” Megson insists he is still woefully short of cover for his only two fit strikers, Scott Dobie and Bob Taylor, as he prepares for tomorrow’s long haul to former club Norwich. He added: “I still want to sign Danny Dichio. “We’ve only got two centre forwards available, one of them has cost us £150,000 from the Third Division and the other is 34 years old.”

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BLACK CATS REJECT DICHIO BID
(11/10/01)

WEST BROM'S hopes of signing Sunderland striker Danny Dichio look to be doomed to failure after The Black Cats rejected a bid of around £1 million. The on-loan former QPR and Sampdoria striker has spent seven weeks with The Baggies, but has been out injured for most of that period. Despite his injury Baggies boss Gary Megson was keen to make his stay permanent at The Hawthorns, and chief executive John Wile made the bid of around £750,000 with extra for appearances and goals. "We've made our bid but Sunderland want more," said Wile. "We think it's a fair and reasonable offer but Sunderland obviously don't agree. "That's it as far as we're concerned. We've made our position clear and we won't be increasing our offer. "It's now down to Sunderland, if they want to do the deal then we'll do the deal but as it stands at the moment they want more money which we aren't prepared to pay." Both Megson and Dichio are desperate to close the deal as the manager is short of firepower with Jason Roberts also out injured, and the forward is keen to kick-start his career after being largely used in the reserves at the Stadium of Light.

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WEST BROM LOOK FOR WIN AGAINST MILLWALL
(10/10/01)

West Brom are hoping to bounce back from their 1-0 Worthington Cup defeat by Charlton as they play host to Millwall. Darren Moore and Andy Johnson, cup-tied for the game, should come back into the reckoning against the Lions. Tony Butler could make way for Moore in defence. Millwall's new signing Darren Ward could be in line for his debut at the Hawthorns. But the 23-year-old defender will have to compete for a place with club stalwart Sean Dyche, who has fully recovered from a broken nose and has been passed fit to play. Manager Mark McGhee also welcomes back Marc Bircham (ankle), Christophe Kinet (hamstring), and Steven Reid (hamstring), but striker Neil Harris is unlikely to feature after going down with a virus. McGhee said: "Neil is suffering with fatigue and I've told him to take his time. "We will take the pressure off him because he was pushing himself too hard after a long time away. "It's understandable he has found it tough after all he's been through, and we won't put a date on when he will playing regularly."

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Baggies 0 v 1 Charlton WC3 (9/10/01)
Baggies lose 1- 0 in this Nationwide v Premiership encounter in the Worthington cup 3rd round, much thanks to the referee. Whatever the excuses, the ref had a nightmare and megson was right to get hot under the collar.

Baggies back in for Dichio
(9/10/01)

West Bromwich Albion manager Gary Megson is to reopen talks with Sunderland over Danny Dichio's switch to the Hawthorns. The powerful marksman impressed the Baggies boss while on loan with the first division side last month before he broke a bone in his foot and returned to the Stadium of Light. But ahead of the former QPR and Sampdoria hitman's return to training, Megson is poised to renew his interest and thrash out terms with Dichio if the Black Cats are still looking to cash in. "Danny is very close to being fit now and with that in mind we've got to do something," he said. "We would like to sign him if we can but we've got some negotiation to do if Peter Reid is still willing to let us sign him."

Albion fear Foxes approach for Megson
(9/10/01)

West Bromwich Albion chairman Paul Thompson has greeted with a frosty silence reports that rudderless Leicester City are keen to lure Gary Megson away fromThe Hawthorns. The dramatic up-turn in Albion's fortunes since Megson was appointed manager in March last year has attracted the attention of the Premiership's bottom club, still searching for a successor to Peter Taylor. Thompson refused to be drawn on the issue. 'I don't comment on speculation,' he said. Megson, too, held his silence, choosing instead to praise his opposite number, Alan Curbishley, ahead of tonight's Worthington Cup clash with Charlton. He said: 'Alan has proved his ability as a manager. Charlton are a blueprint for so many clubs who want to reach the top but who don't have a fortune to spend.' Albion defenderTony Butler returns tonight after suspension to replace the cup-tied Darren Moore, while Adam Chambers will take the midfield place of Andy Johnson, also cup-tied. Megson plans to complete the capture of Sunderland striker Danny Dichio for £1million this week .

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We're in good nick - Thompson
(4/10/01)

Paul Thompson will convey the feel-good factor buzzing around the Hawthorns tonight when he tells a packed AGM: “We’re in good shape.” The club made an operating profit of £1.7milllion and saw a 25 per cent increase in turnover during the last financial year. But the Hawthorns chairman insists neither he nor the board of directors will be resting on their laurels. “We are pursuing a policy of club improvement,” said Thompson, who will face around 200 shareholders at The Copthorne Hotel, Merry Hill, tonight form 7pm. “We will keep working hard to try and further improve the playing squad and the club in all areas. “We have finances available for transfers and we will be making sure that money is spent wisely.” Thompson added: “We had a great season last year, our best for 15 years. “A lot of hard work went on during the summer in terms of signing Scott Dobie, Warren Cummings on a year’s loan and Darren Moore, which eventually was completed. “We’ve also signed Andrew Johnson in recent weeks and we’ve now got a much better playing squad than we’ve had for many a year. “A lot of work has been put into the new stand. It is now operational and certain areas should be competed within the next month. It’s a great asset for the club. It’s far more than just a stand - it completes the stadium. “The new Football Development Centre is also progressing which will give us better facilities both for the first team and youth development. “Season ticket sales are up by 30 per cent and, on average, more than 18,000 Albion fans are contributing to gates approaching 20,000. We’re in good shape.” But Thompson insisted there was one area which drastically needed addressing. “The club has been – and is still having - a lot of problems with its phone and ticketing systems,” he admitted. “We apologise to supporters for the difficulties they’re experiencing. Every effort is being made to improve both areas. “But it will take months rather than weeks to make the improvements we all want.”

Megson tracking Koumas
(04/10/01)

Gary Megson has confirmed for the first time he has an “ongoing” interest in mercurial Tranmere midfielder Jason Koumas. The Albion boss has previously refused to comment on reports which linked him with a failed £1.5 million bid for the Welsh international a month ago. But, speaking frankly at the club’s AGM tonight, Megson revealed he is on the trail of the jet-heeled 22-year-old. The Baggies boss, armed with around £4 million to spend following the sale of Lee Hughes in the summer, said: “It’s an ongoing thing. “We have made a number of inquiries for Jason and also tabled an offer but we were told his club didn’t want to do anything at the moment. “The problem we’ve got – and it’s a nice problem – is that we’re now looking at players clubs ordinarily wouldn’t want to sell. Some of them are very important to their current employers. "But time sometimes forces them to sell and that’s the position we’re in. “It just shows the difference in the kind of players we’re looking to bring in now compared to 18 months ago.” .

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Megson cools on Fuller interest
(2/10/01)

West Brom manager Gary Megson has revealed he will not be taking his interest in trialist Riccardo Fuller any further for the time being. But he added he would not be dismissing the Jamaican international completely and would continue to monitor the midfielder's progress in the Caribbean. Fuller, who plays for Tivoli Gardens, scored three goals in two reserve appearances but that was not enough to persuade Megson to offer him a contract. The Baggies boss said: 'We won't be firming up our interest immediately although we will keep an eye on him and see what happens.

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Megson waits on Clement
(1/10/01)

West Brom boss Gary Megson has made it clear that he is keen to keep defender Neil Clement at the Hawthorns. The former Chelsea youngster has been offered a lucrative new four-year-deal but has shown no inclination to put pen to paper. "There's a contract there waiting for Neil to sign. It will all but treble his money but his advisors have got involved," said Megson. "There's not a great deal to discuss. He's here for the next two-and-a-half years anyway. "We're not offering him a contract to try and tie him down and put a ball and chain round his ankle." Megson is conscious that Clement's improved form is bound to make him a target for bids from teams in the Premiership. "What we're trying to do is equate his pay with what he's doing. He came here from Chelsea with one league game under his belt and he signed for a certain amount of money. "He's played all but one league game for us since then and we thought it was fair to bring him in line with some of the other players. But it's his decision as to what he does."

Megson praises bargain buy
(1/10/01)

Megson praises bargain buy 1 Oct West Brom boss Gary Megson has admitted that £150,000 bargain-buy Scott Dobie has proved to be a surprise package. The 22-year-old striker, who was signed from Carlisle during the summer, notched his ninth goal of the season during Saturday's 1-0 win against Burnley. Megson acknowledged that Dobie has done well to replace £5million Lee Hughes, who joined Coventry in the close season. "At £150,000 it was worth the gamble," said Megson. "I don't mean it disrespectfully but if it didn't work out we could always move him on. "I think he's well on the way to becoming another folk hero like Bob Taylor and Lee Hughes."

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