[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

No way past Wile, Batson and Statham for Southampton at the Hawthorns, 10th March 1979

A three o'clock Saturday kick-off at the Hawthorns?  Whatever next?  I tell you, it's a slippery slope from this to ticket prices under twenty quid, players having a few drinks with supporters after the match, and everyone who funds English football on a weekly basis being treated like a responsible adult by the custodians of the sport.  Well, I hope it is, anyway.

I don't have too much to say in advance of our clash with Southampton; I haven't seen them play so far this season, and their results seem at best a very mixed bag.  What we see from them on Saturday could well determine whether they're still a powerful Premier League force who've suffered a slow August, or if the inevitable stagnation and decline has started to set in.  It remains to be seen what kind of line-up Albion will field after the final gusts of the transfer whirlwind a fortnight ago: whether it'll be a McAuley-Evans partnership in central defence straight away; whether Lindegaard will be thrown in at the deep end in preference to Myhill; whether Lambert (against his old club) can carry on forging a partnership with Rondon, and if the Berahino can is going to be kicked a little bit further down the road.

Of course, a home game against Southampton was our "warm-up" the week before visiting Villa Park back in the spring too.  We happily took three points off Koeman's boys, and then bottled it when it mattered.  I wouldn't say no to a good win tomorrow... but let's not forget what the main event is this time, eh lads?

Chris Brunt grabs the point against Southampton which sends Albion back to the Premier League, 28th April 2008