Albion Outlook: West Brom fans have their say on transfers and Gary Megson

Thomas Goffe, 30, Telford

Transfers. Transfers. Transfers! Every Baggies fan’s favourite current topic. I may be wrong but I felt there was an air of optimism among the fans coming into this transfer window. I know Guochuan Lai has repeated on numerous occasions that he wouldn’t be partaking in any reckless spending but surely he wasn’t going to be as circumspect as Peace, was he? Well there is just over one week before the season starts and so far the club have only managed to bring in two players, an injury prone but undoubtedly talented forward and an unproven defender on loan.

What concerns me the most is we seem to be losing out constantly to the teams ‘around us’. Nathaniel Chalobah, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Will Hughes, Harry Maguire, and Tammy Abraham are all quality, young British players who play in positions we need to strengthen in, yet they have ended up at teams of similar size for reasonable fees.

Yes it’s undoubtedly a difficult process bringing in new players but when the likes of Burnley, Watford and Swansea are bringing in players that would seemingly fit the bill perfectly, surely the club can understand that as a fan, it’s very frustrating and particularly hard to stomach.

Sarah Rudge, 24, Wolverhampton

With just over a week until the return of the Premier League these are worrying times for the Albion. Firstly, some of the criticism aimed at the club and in particular Tony Pulis has been extreme and in some cases unwarranted. However, nobody can argue that we are looking very thin on the ground in terms of the size of our squad. With just two new additions in the shape of Ahmed Hegazi and Jay Rodriguez, the board have surely got to be looking at increasing the quantity and quality of the team.

In pre-season so far, both new signings have looked impressive, especially Rodriguez, having chipped in with a couple of goals including a brilliant effort against Leicester which we know he has in his locker from his time with Southampton. Despite us only losing Darren Fletcher from our first XI, we're still very short of numbers. Losing Olsson has increased the urgency of a need for centre back reinforcements as well as a central midfielder and another striker surely on the wish list. Recruiting quality is difficult with the money being spent by 'bigger clubs' but we need to strengthen if we are to compete in the top half of the table.

Lee Smith, 42, Michigan, USA

When I got a text from my old man saying Megson had just been appointed Pulis’s assistant, I responded with one word 'brilliant'. I moved to the US in November 2002 and that never to be forgotten 2001/02 season flooded back into my mind.

You couldn't have scripted those last six weeks any better. If it hadn't have actually happened and someone tried to tell you, you would have thought they had lost their mind. It was pure theatre and we were all part of the show.

The point being, Gary Megson gave us our pride back. He allowed us to dream and then he made us believe. He put a team together on a shoe-string that you couldn't help but love because of the personalities and the type of people they were. Honest, hard-working, good lads and it fit with who we all were.

He galvanised a fractured club and brought the players and fans together. We had more than just momentum, we had something special, something intangible that you needed to experience to feel.

I'll never forget what Gary Megson did for our club. He rightly has 'legend' status and I sincerely hope he and Pulis turn out to be a wonderful team. But let’s give them a chance, if we can’t give time to the man who gave so much to so many, then who will we ever give it to. I'm glad he's back. He was the architect of memories that I’ll take with me forever.

Paul Chappell, 35, Shifnal

Wow, what a summer! New players arriving and inspiring aspirations about what should be an improvement on last year’s great effort to get into the top half. But enough about our first opponents, Bournemouth, let’s concentrate on what is quickly becoming a circus at WBA.

Fletcher’s decision, whilst understandable given contract offered and his personal situation, should have forewarned us to what was ahead, an irritating, annoying nothing of a summer is quickly becoming a major worry.

The injuries which we miraculously avoided last season have seemingly caught up with us and we go into the start of the season with genuine concern over a number of things. The squad or lack there-of, Lai's commitment to improvement over making a quick buck, what Garlick and Hammond actually contribute, and we hear each transfer is derailed by Tony Pulis changing his mind.

I have serious concerns about us this season, more than any other year. We seem to be copying the Hull/Villa model and we all know how that worked out. With ten days till kick off and 29 until the window slams shut I believe we are still four or five players short of being competitive as a mid-table team. Worrying times.

If you want to write for Albion Outlook, e-mail Baggies reporter Matt Wilson at matt.wilson@expressandstar.co.uk