Express & Star

Darren Moore pleased West Brom have 'captured the hearts' of the nation with stunning survival fight

Darren Moore is pleased the Baggies have 'captured the hearts' of the nation as the club enters the final week of the season with their impossible dream still alive.

Published
Darren Moore. (AMA)

Albion's 92nd minute winner against Tottenham kept their slim survival hopes alive on Saturday before Everton's 96th minute equaliser against Southampton in the late kick-off did the same.

It leaves the Baggies, who had an 8,000/1 shot of staying up last week, needing Swansea to draw with Southampton on Tuesday night to set up final day showdown when they need to beat Crystal Palace and hope two other results to go their way.

Moore has kept Albion's slim hopes alive with a remarkable five-game unbeaten run as caretaker boss that has included wins over Manchester United, Newcastle, and now Spurs.

"People have been coming up to me saying ‘well done'," he said. "And I’m talking about neutral supporters as well.

"So I'm really pleased for the club that we've captured the hearts of the nation really with what we’re doing here. But we just have to keep the focus and get back to work.

"All I’m focused on is putting in another hard week’s work at West Brom, which is what we have done over the last five games."

James Shan, one of his coaching team, tweeted "Dare to dream" after the game but Moore himself is refusing to be drawn into talks of the Great Escape mark II.

"I’m not even looking at it in that way," he said. "All I’ve looked to do is answer a call by the football club to come in along with everyone else and start running games and try to be as positive as possible in every situation.

"We’ve had some good results but those results have come from everyone being together and playing a part in it.

"I repeat that everyone connected with West Bromwich Albion has to continue like that because we still have a very important game against a good team next week."

Although the board are wary of the differences between the caretaker role and the permanent job, there are growing calls to appoint Moore as the full-time boss.

But when he was asked if he could handle the pressure of that role, he said: "I wouldn’t know, because obviously I’ve just answered a call from the football club.

"We’re speculating again because we haven’t yet been through the six games that they wanted me to do. I haven’t even thought about it.

"Anything that’s been said outside I can’t stop. What I have done is gone into it with 100%, like with everything else.

"The group and everybody has worked hard. I’m the one that gets to stand up and talk about it."

Moore led his players on a lap of appreciation after the full time whistle which, although sheepish at times, was well-received by the fans that stayed.

And he hopes this run has helped supporters enjoy coming to games again.

"That’s it," he said. "They’ve come here with real belief, real energy and real excitement.

"Their voices were excellent, they really were the 12th man and we thank them for that.

"That without a doubt pushed us all the way because the lads put a lot of hard work into that game. We got tested by a really strong team.

"But we kept it tight and as the game opened up we made changes, and those changes seemed to take the momentum the other way.

"I know the goal came from a set play but collectively everybody played a part in that result."