IN THE eyes of most West Bromwich Albion supporters the appointment of Alan Irvine as head coach was a surprise to say the least.

The likeable Scotsman replaced the equally charming Pepe Mel in the summer of 2015 on a 12-month rolling contract.

But the former Sheffield Wednesday and Preston North End manager’s tenure at The Hawthorns was as much of a struggle as everyone had expected.

Irvine did, to his credit, pick up impressive points against Tottenham, Southampton and Manchester United. But by the end of the calendar year Irvine had won only four of his 19 games in charge with the club hovering just one point above the relegation zone.

And following a run of seven defeats in nine matches, culminating in a 2-0 defeat at Stoke which saw a backlash from travelling supporters, meant a changing of the guard.

Three days later the Premier League’s managerial escape artist was appointed.

Tony Pulis took charge on January 1 with his first game a convincing 7-0 victory against Conference side Gateshead in the FA Cup third round.

And much like his previous club Crystal Palace, the Baggies underwent an immediate change in fortune with Pulis’s side going unbeaten in February and the Welshman picking up the Manager of the Month award.

But the honeymoon period soon ended with back-to-back losses to Aston Villa in the FA Cup and the League, results that somewhat burst the bubble that had been rising since the appointment of Pulis.

And despite a 1-0 victory over his former club Stoke City, Pulis then witnessed to home defeats against fellow relegation rivals Queens Park Rangers and Leicester City.

With fans questioning whether the squad thought that they were safe from the drop, and perhaps had started their summer holidays early, Pulis needed a response from his players. And what a response it was.

Victory over high-flying Crystal Palace, a 1-0 win at Old Trafford against Manchester United and draws against Liverpool and Newcastle United finally saw the Baggies over the line.

There was also time for a remarkable 3-0 win over champions Chelsea in the final home game of the season that saw Pulis guide the club to a 13th place finish, nine points clear of the drop.

But Albion fans will demand a better start next season under the stewardship of the experienced Pulis.

The acquisition of Darren Fletcher in the January transfer window showed that the club now has a manager in-charge who is able to attract quality players.

And with the signing of Republic of Ireland winger James McLean from Wigan already agreed, as well as interest being shown in Stoke’s Steven N’Zonzi, it looks like it will be a busy summer at The Hawthorns as Pulis looks to refresh a stale squad.