West Brom fans addressed by Steve Bruce ahead of Hawthorns bow

He’s visited The Hawthorns as the opposing manager on many occasions down the years, but Steve Bruce will take to the touch-line as West Bromwich Albion boss for the very first time tonight.

Bruce, 61, tasted defeat in his first game in charge on Wednesday evening at one of his many former clubs Sheffield United, but it’s on home soil where Albion - who have fallen a handful of places down the Championship table since last week - have had the bulk of their success this season.

Indeed it’s a good job that Albion’s form in front of their largely disgruntled fanbase has held up, because away from The Hawthorns they’ve been dreadful in recent months.

Bruce, in the main, is aiming to get bums back on seats and inject contentment back into the supporters - beginning with Blackburn Rovers.

“It’s a fresh start,” Bruce said. “It’s my aim to give them a team who they enjoy coming to watch, and enjoy supporting - and obviously winning, winning is the key to most of it.

“We’ve got to improve away. Our form away from home has let us down, if the truth be known. At home we’ve been pretty formidable, so long may that continue. Let’s hope that the supporters can get right behind the team and we can get back on the wagon.

“That’s been the message since I walked through the door a week ago. I understand there’s unrest, and we need to get everyone heading in the right direction. It’s been frustrating, of course. The only way you bring that together, by everybody, is when you associate with the team and the team start winning.

“Can we go on a run? We are capable but we need to start showing it now. There are 16 games left, three months to go, it’s the perfect time to put a run together.”

Tony Mowbray guides his Rovers team back to a ground