[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

Southampton keeper Ian Black keeps Albion at bay, the Dell, 23rd April 1949

We bring 2016 to a close with a visit to the south coast on New Year's Eve, having lost three of our last four games in spite of some valiant efforts from the team, but still fairly well-placed in mid-table for the time being. Southampton are a point and a place above us, having had a good run brought to an end by Spurs on Wednesday night, and it's a match that both sides will no doubt fancy for a win.

This match will for all intents and purposes bring us to the second anniversary of Tony Pulis's tenure as Albion boss, making him the first manager since Tony Mowbray to reach that milestone, and the first since Ron Atkinson to have done so entirely at top-flight level. If the talk of big transfer activity in January comes to fruition, then it's possible we might yet have an even brighter third year to look forward to with Tony at the helm. Let's hope so; and let's also hope he can deliver three points to mark the occasion.