George Overhill

Wed 21 September 2022 15:58, UK

The increasing calamity at West Brom has been summed up by the baffling news via the club shop that the new home shirt is selling out but won’t be restocked.

With the Baggies languishing one place above the relegation zone and with just one win all season in the league, major concern is mounting about the direction of the club.

Steve Bruce’s job is being called into question as the idea of promotion, or even the playoffs, currently a long way off, but the latest off-pitch debacle might be the most deflating example of things being not right at the club.

A post on the official West Brom shop Twitter account on Wednesday afternoon (21 September) said: “LOW IN STOCK. The home shirt is selling fast and will not be restocked. Secure your shirt here…”

It is hard to find a reassuring explanation as to why the club would not be ready to restock merchandise that is actually selling well.

Big name players are often rumoured to be signed purely for the boost in shirt sales that their presence would bring, so why West Brom appear to be snatching defeat from the jaws of a rare victory is bemusing.

The performances on the pitch have not been appalling but a frustrating inability to finish chances or ever find a way to make periods of dominance pay have left the team at the opposite end of the table from where they expected to be.

But there have been some notable bright sparks, such as summer signing Jed Wallace, and there are signs that Brandon Thomas-Asante could become a favourite.

With one of the nicer home shirts in recent years to go with some popular new players it would appear that the Baggies have struck on a success with the kit sales, yet apparently they plan to let the benefits slip away.

For a club who have been operating with next to nothing as a transfer budget, forcing Bruce to target loans and free agents, a solid opportunity to boost revenue through straight-forward, above-board means is surely exactly what they want.

And at a time when it is imperative to keep the fanbase engaged amid some of the worst returns on the field for years it makes absolutely no sense to cut off supporters who actually want to display their pride in the club.

If ever there was a sign that the Baggies are in disarray, just weeks after a deadline day mess that saw two loan deals fall through, and days after a calamitous derby defeat at home to Birmingham, this is it.

For all the good things that are happening currently there is more than enough on the other side of the scales to negate them and fans can be excused for having concerns about where this ship is headed right now.

In other West Brom news, at least one Albion player has received an “honor” this week.