West Brom players will welcome Newcastle United message as Steve Bruce arrives

The fractures at West Brom couldn’t be ignored towards the end of Valerien Ismael’s reign.

Robert Snodgrass was subtle in showing his disdain for the former Albion boss, when he thanked everyone at the club save for Ismael, upon his departure earlier this week. Jordan Hugill was more to the point about what he’d endured after leaving for Cardiff City.

Sam Johnstone was the subject of an "internal issue". Semi Ajayi and Kenneth Zohore were others who’d have no, or very little, part to play for months and months.

By the end of Ismael’s tenure, which came as a result of damaging defeats to Preston North End and Millwall, the chips in the dressing room had turned into cracks. That’ll happen, if you don’t deal with the chips in the first place. So says Gavin from Autoglass, anyway.

The need for order to be restored at The Hawthorns is clear. The bridge must be built back to the supporters, and the club are intent on doing so under the stewardship of the newly appointed Ron Gourlay as CEO.

In Steve Bruce, Albion have acquired the services of a man whose management skills are renowned. Arguably more than anything else at this stage, that’s what Albion’s down-in-the-dumps dressing room needs desperately.

You only have to take the word of Allan Saint-Maximin, the talented Newcastle United attacker who, despite the vitriol aimed at Bruce from the club’s fanbase for months before his departure, paid a touching tribute to the 61-year-old for the role he’d played in helping the winger to settle in and providing him with the confidence to perform.

“You are, without a doubt, one of the most gentle people that I have ever met in the world of football,” Saint-Maximin said via Twitter last year, following Bruce’s exit.

“You have