The West Bromwich Albion fans who showered their team with boos for the umpteenth time this season may reflect that if their club had taken a different route last summer, everything could have been so different.
In their two most recent seasons outside the top flight, Albion never dropped below fourth place. Monday night’s 2-0 home defeat by Swansea left them 13th, eight points adrift of the play-offs with boss Steve Bruce already questioning his players’ mental strength after taking just one point from his first five games.
Yet when the club were relegated from the Premier League last season, the best man to take them back up was available — and wanted the job.