Megson dismisses quit rumours

23 April 2002

Today's media have been carrying stories about Albion Manager Gary Megson being set to leave the club, and criticising the Chairman and Board for a whole host of things. Quotes from Megson were produced as follows:

" To some degree I feel I've been asked to manage with one hand tied behind my back. I could give you a whole list of complaints."

"It's been made clear I'm no longer in control of the scouting system. Secondly, I won't have the financial say in terms of which out-of-contract players are offered new deals."

"This place is unique. Which other club would declare a £3.9m profit while the manager was trying to find proper training facilities days before deciding its Premiership future?"

However, the official web site countered the reports with a furious backlash from the boss:

"I am dismayed at some of the comments attributed to me in the morning papers to the extent I realise I am going to have to be much more careful and selective in what I say and who I speak to. I feel sorry for our supporters because I won't be able to keep them as informed as I would wish for fear of continually being misquoted and, at times, having comments attributed to me I didn't even say."

"This morning's reports have come about because I said there are a lot of decisions to be made this summer. There are some things that are unique at West Brom which I have neither said are right nor wrong, just that they are new to me, such as the scouting system and the retained list. I have not been publicly critical of the chairman or the board. I have not criticised anybody directly."

Frankly, it's the last thing we needed or expected in the days following our well-earned promotion to the top flight. Albion's image in the media throughout the last season has been constantly tarnished with reports of disagreements between Megson and Thompson, although the overall result is something that really can't be argued with. As if worrying about Premiership survival wasn't enough...

Previous Stories:

  22 April 2002:  Civic reception to follow...

  21 April 2002:  Season ticket details announced

  17 April 2002:  Last game is live on TV

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