We’ve got a big summer ahead – Steve Bruce knows West Brom need to improve

Steve Bruce says he will always look back on his first month in charge of West Brom with regret after his side finished 10th in the Championship table.

The Baggies secured a 4-0 win over already relegated Barnsley on the final day of the campaign with Karlan Grant netting a brace and Adam Reach and Matt Clarke also on target at The Hawthorns.

But while Albion ended the season with two wins and a draw, Bruce knows a mid-table finish is not good enough for a side with parachute payments and one of the largest wage budgets in the division.

West Brom were in the play-offs when the former Newcastle boss replaced the sacked Valerien Ismael in February.

But he failed to win any of his first five games in charge – with that run effectively ending their promotion hopes.

“This season has not been good enough,” said Bruce, who has been tasked with overhauling West Brom’s squad for a promotion push next year.

“Looking back on the three months, it was the first month where I didn’t make the impact I would have liked.

“We didn’t get anywhere near the results that we needed to give us a chance.

“I couldn’t address the slide quickly enough and that is the overriding feeling I have at this moment in time.

“We finished OK. We’ve given a glimpse of how we want to try and approach it next year. But it was a little bit too late.

“We have got good players in the club and my challenge is to put a squad together that is capable of getting us to where we want to get to. We’ve got a big summer ahead.”

Rock-bottom Barnsley headed to The Hawthorns having been relegated last month.

And with their number of absentees stretching into double figures, caretaker head coach Martin Devaney named a youthful side with Cauley Woodrow their only outfield