10 years on – McInnes recalls greatest day

A decade on from the greatest day of his career, Derek McInnes's memories remain crystal clear.

The man who captained Albion to the Premier League for the first time recalls the goals, the fans, the speech and above all the surprise dressing room visit that helped the club reach the top flight at the expense of shell-shocked Wolves.

It was 10 years ago today that McInnes led out a Baggies team with the club's destiny in their hands and helped them to a promotion-clinching 2-0 Hawthorns victory over Crystal Palace.

But manager Gary Megson's final rallying cry is still engrained in the mind of the 40-year-old Scot.

"I still remember Gary's words just before we left the dressing room," said the former Rangers midfielder.

"He said 'you're leaving here as Championship players. Come back as Premier League players'.

"And there was never any doubt in my mind that we would do that.

"No disrespect to Crystal Palace, but I don't think it would have mattered who we were playing that day.

"We had put ourselves in such a strong position and created a lot of momentum from the turn of the year.

"By the time we went into that final game we had put in so much effort, there was a feeling that the job had been done and there was never any doubt in the players' minds that we would beat Crystal Palace.

"Darren Moore scored pretty early and then Bob Taylor got one after half-time, and I remember really enjoying the game.

"Gary knew we were highly motivated. It was just a case of channelling it in the right way."

To do that Megson came up with an unexpected tactic that has since become the stuff of legend at The Hawthorns.

As his team prepared to take the field, Megson gathered their wives and children and called them into the inner sanctum as a reminder of exactly what was at stake.

McInnes still regards the stunt as a masterstroke in calming his side ahead of the biggest occasion of their careers.

"I had absolutely no idea that was going to happen," he said. "I was pretty close to Gary but that came as a total surprise, and it was a fantastic move.

"I have three boys now but I just had Jack at the time. He was three years old and I remember sitting with him on my lap in the dressing room for a good 10 to 15 minutes.

"It was Gary's final way of saying 'you've done all your training, you're fully prepared, you're ready for the game, now relax'.

"It was an amazing time, because within minutes of sitting in the dressing room with our families, we were standing in the tunnel pumped up, chomping at the bit and ready to walk all over Crystal Palace.

"It was a perfect build-up. We absolutely tore them apart and we would have done to whoever we played that day. We only won 2-0 but it should have been much more."

Since leaving The Hawthorns in 2003, McInnes's life has taken in playing spells at Dundee United, Millwall and St Johnstone, where he launched a managerial career that now sees him attempting to save Bristol City from Championship relegation.

Yet the special season that saw Megson's men overturn Wolves' huge points advantage to bring top-flight football back to The Hawthorns after a 15-year gap still holds a unique place in McInnes's heart.

He said: "I loved my whole time at Albion but that season was fantastic. I had a great career and was lucky enough to win a few things, but that season and that day against Crystal Palace was the highlight, without a doubt.

"The support that we had from the Albion fans that year was the best I ever played in front of, and there was a real feeling the whole club was pulling together.

"The chairman came in and played his part, the players were as honest and hard-working a bunch as you will find, and there was some superb management from Gary Megson.

"We knew it meant so much to everybody, and especially to beat Wolves.

"They had more big-name players than us and some of their players were earning miles more than any of us.

"So to take Albion back to the top division after 15 years was unbelievable. It will live with us forever."