Fletcher: West Brom can boss West Midlands

It's highly likely the Baggies will be the only team in Birmingham and the Black Country area left in the Premier League, with Villa doomed for relegation.

The Albion skipper wants his club to recruit new young fans in a bid to push the club further up the table.

The 32-year-old said: "If we can push the boat out a little bit, we might get some new fans that are brought up in and around Birmingham.

"West Brom might be the team to support because we're the highest up the league and we're in the Premier League.

"I think there's the opportunity there for the club to really push that statement out there next season and recruit new fans."

Fletcher was speaking at an open training session at The Hawthorns, as hundreds of children watched Baggies boss Tony Pulis put the players through their paces.

The youngsters mobbed the players for autographs before and after the session, and it was a passionate response not lost on Fletcher.

He said: "It's really good for them to come into the stadium and watch us train and have a little bit of an insight.

"It's important because they're going to be the next generation of supporters.

"They're going to carry the club forward in the area as we look to be next season the only team that's going to be in the Premier League."

The former Manchester United midfielder is used to playing for one of the biggest clubs on the planet and he's hoping Albion can grow.

He said: "Everyone's blown away by the Premier League and young kids are no different. It's a global game now and they look to Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and all the top stars.

"But, on their doorstep, they've got a team that's competing in the Premier League and looking to make steps each season and progress up the league."