The writers of the
Birmingham Mail forecast that Albion would finish somewhere between 10th and 16th, the average of all their predictions being 13th place.
The Guardian also forecast a 13th-place finish for Albion, predicting that Tony Pulis would "be able to drive his side to safety" in his first full season in charge. The club created a "fanzone", in which up to 2,000 supporters could gather before and after home matches. The fanzone is based in the vicinity of the 19th century
Grade Two listed Hawthorns pub, adjacent to Albion's home ground,
The Hawthorns. In order to facilitate this, the wings of the pub building were demolished and the central structure renovated inside and out. The work was initially delayed due to the discovery of horsehair in the building's plaster, which needed to be tested for
anthrax spores. Work resumed once the tests came back negative. ==Players==