Express & Star

When West Brom smashed a ten point lead to win Premier League promotion

Albion enter the final stretch of the season playing chase and needing to overturn a points deficit to have a shot at promotion - where have we heard that before?

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Gary Megson masterminded Albion to eight wins from ten to win promotion to the Premier League

Carlos Corberan's side head into the last eight games of the campaign sitting five points off the play-offs. After their draw with top six rivals Millwall on Saturday, many wrote them off, believing they have too much work to do.

Albion do have a game in hand as they bid to claw back those five points - however, they face a packed and difficult schedule between now and early May.

Albion won 3-0 at Sheffield United during the ten game run - which is still remembered to this day for the Battle of Bramall Lane

And if the current crop are in need of inspiration or guidance on how to turn the tables in the final weeks of the season, then they would need look no further than the first Albion side that won promotion to the Premier League.

It is 21 years since Albion did the impossible and turned around what seemed like a mammoth points difference to win automatic promotion.

And for Albion it was all the more sweeter because it was the expensive of old rivals Wolves.

Bob Taylor netted against Rotherham as Albion chopped away at Wolves' lead

With ten games to go at the back end of the 2001/02 campaign - Albion were sitting third, ten points behind Black Country Derby rivals Wolves, who were top of the table.

Ten points, that sounds impossible. Well, it wasn't. West Brom won seven and drew two from the nine games leading into the final day of the season, with Wolves winning just three.

Igor Balis put Albion on the edge of glory with a last gasp penalty at Bradford City

By the time Easter Monday rolled around, Albion picked up three points at Coventry City, with Wolves losing to eventual title winners Manchester City.

They then went a point ahead prior to that famous day when Igor Balis tucked away a last minute spot kick at Bradford City on the penultimate game of the season.

Jubilant scenes after Igor Balis wins it for Albion at Bradford

So, the scene was set, the ten point lead had been chipped away and Albion knew if they equalled or bettered Wolves' result on the final day, then they were up, against all the odds.

The Wolves result paled into insignificance in the end as Albion put two past Crystal Palace to spark wild scenes and jubilation at The Hawthorns and set the club on a rollercoaster ride of promotions and Premier League campaigns for years to come.

Now, 21 years on, Corberan's men have a different task, and one that is smaller in size but still a tough challenge.

Darren Moore nets the opener on the final day as Albion head for the top flight

Back in 2002, the Albion boss Gary Megson took the unusual step of lining up 16 fans in the dressing room before kick off against Palace to illustrate what was at stake.

The Spaniard might not be deploying that tactic in Albion's run in - but he will surely be hoping they can replicate the heroics of the memorable 2001/2002 side.