[4evaabaggie]

To fall in love, without exception, is to create one's own religion in worship of a fallible god; and there are few more fallible than West Bromwich Albion. As the unhappy parousia of Tony Mowbray reached its undignified and largely inevitable conclusion last weekend, the curtain effectively fell on yet another season, with the playoffs now only reachable by a set of permutations so unlikely that even American soap writers would think twice about conjuring them up. Not least among the obstacles: Albion would need to win both remaining games, at Cardiff this Saturday and at home to Luton the next, coming off back-to-back Easter defeats and poised on the joint-worst winless away streak outside the top flight in our history (equalling 14 under Keith Burkinshaw in 1994, which we'll duly surpass with anything short of a win tomorrow). Even interim boss James Morrison has tried to keep things realistic in his pre-match pressers, talking only about "positivity" and "restoring pride"; I wish Mozza all the best in the attempt, but it'll take a lot more than eight days to accomplish.

And yet, and yet...

We're the last of the good old-fashioned steam-powered trains.

We'll huff and puff till we blow this world away.

We'll keep on rolling till our dying day.

And you'd better believe: we don't know where we're going, or why we came.

Another great write up which catches the essence of our position, we all knew that our run or ten draws in eleven would lead to this inevitable end, not helped by five defeats in six, the fact we lost doesn’t bother me, it’s the manner in which we lost that does, no effort, no pride, no idea. If you bust a gut and lose then at least you tried but our whimper was inexcusable.

Anyway to the remainder of this pitiful season, we need:-

Coventry to lose to Luton and lose to Boro, 66 points
Boro to lose and then beat Coventry, 66 points
Millwall to lose at least one, 66 points
Draw two 65 points
Draw one lose one. 64 points
Blackburn to draw one and win one 66 points
Win one lose one 65 points
Albion to win both. 66 points.
Coupled with this we have to turn around a two or three goal goal difference with Boro.

Not a lot to ask.
Over to you Footballing gods and or Lady Luck. She hasn’t visited us for a while let alone stayed around. Now could be her time to come good.

Whatever happens Albion will always be in my heart.
COME ON YOU BAGGIES … make us proud.