Albion told to shed little club image
ALBION manager Tony Mowbray will tell his players to shed the club's 'little old Albion' image when they take on Arsenal in Saturday's lunchtime curtain-raiser.
The Baggies will return for their fourth Premier League campaign desperate to shed their yo-yo status.
In previous top-flight campaigns Albion were perceived as being on an 'adventure', often portrayed in a somewhat patronising manner.
One newspaper even sent a photographer down to The Hawthorns to take a picture of the team bus leaving for Manchester United at the start of their maiden Premiership season in 2002 - only for the snapper to be sent packing by then boss Gary Megson, who considered it as an insult to his team.
Tony Mowbray is desperate for Albion to leave that image behind, insisting that his players will not be in north London to enjoy the day.
"I don't get star-struck or awe-struck," Mowbray said. "I keep saying that I want us to be recognised for the achievements we've had and we deserve to be in the Premier League.
"Otherwise the press will do the quaint story of 'little old Albion' going off to play Liverpool or Manchester United as lambs to the slaughter. It is important that we change the perception and show that that's not the case, that we have got every chance of winning the games we're going into.
"We have to earn that right with performances on the pitch and if that doesn't happen this year we will get portrayed as a little club just enjoying their season in the Premiership but getting back to reality next year.
"We are under no illusions. Arsenal's a difficult game for us but we won't show any fear.
"We go into it as positive as we can and you never know, sometimes on the opening day of the season you get strange results," he said. "We need to be ready and I'm sure we will be."
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