The phrase 'journey or destination' is one used many times in my writing and has fascinated me for a long time. This concept has no clearer definition now than the feeling among West Bromwich Albion fans as they watch their team make an increasingly likely pursuit of a return to the Premier League. This pursuit took a major step towards realisation after a three-nil win at Bristol City on Saturday that left Albion nine points clear of third placed Fulham with only twelve games of the season remaining. This was a third successive triumph on the road and an impressive points haul of thirteen out of fifteen since emerging from a slight mid-winter slump at the start of February. So with a rosy outlook beaming from the club and its positive (at the moment) fanbase why should such a concept as 'journey or destination' shine a light.
An overwhelming sense of joy and exhilaration was abound in the away section of Ashton Gate on Saturday with three thousand travelling fans lapping up every minute of a promotion drive that not only delivers winning football, but one matching expectation and attacking ideal. Indeed a long distance from some of the more conservative fare served up when trying to remain in the Premier League during our most recent eight year tenure up there. This pattern has largely been in place since relegation in 2018, moving Albion from underdog status in the top flight to one of serious challengers in the Championship. For many fans this is a total release, and an excitement that many feel can only occur for a club of our size in the second tier. Thus lies the conundrum, is the journey of promotion far greater than the prize of reclaiming a place in the top league and rubbing shoulders once again with the elite of English football.
On one hand this is an absurd notion. You should always strive to at least compete with the best. Also the revenues accrued from being in the Premier League ensure a certain calibre of player is recruited along with enhancing the financial stability of the club. There is also the matter of parachute payments upon the eventual relegation to bolster any subsequent promotion challenge. Since first gaining promotion to the Premier League in 2002, Albion have been relegated four times. On two of those occasions they came straight back up and a third they endured only two seasons before promotion, although the unsuccessful attempt only occurred through a play off final loss at Wembley in 2007. While no-one connected to the club is going to preach complacency, the signs are looking good at this point of time to make the return in two seasons.
To counter this argument, the second tier of English football has been kind to Albion over the last twenty years. Since Gary Megson revitalised the club in 200, they have never finished below sixth in the seven seasons spent in it, and in 2008 claimed only the second league title in the club's history by winning the Championship. Each of these seasons have created an incredible sense of excitement and arguably some of the club's finest moments in recent times.
In contrast, life in the Premier League is a different kettle of fish. All of a sudden survival is the name of the game and memories are afresh of Tony Pulis adopting a rather pragmatic mode of football to stay up. An air of negativity hung around the club during large parts of the recent eight year period in the top flight, one that seems to get blown away as soon as they slip into the league below. Of course this is conditional to quickly adapting to life in the new division and mounting a promotion push straight away. The club have generally accomplished this over the last two decades, so newer fans are removed from the darker days when the team perennially struggled in the lower levels.
As we sail past the three-quarter mark of the 2019-20 season, we are clearly on track for another of these highly exciting championship football seasons, adored by many of the fans who are hooked in not only by the more purist nature of football at this level, but the pre-match anticipation of going into matches as favourites. There is nothing like watching winning football whatever the level.
The destination may well be the Premier League in May, but many fans are savouring this wonderful journey. Yes, there is mileage in debating this concept. No, we can't win the league and stay down!
