Kyle Bartley urges West Brom fans to fulfil Hawthorns atmosphere ‘responsibility’ – he’s right
Former West Brom defender and Baggies favourite Kyle Bartley has told Albion fans to get behind Eric Ramsay’s team.
With 14 games to go in the 2025-26 season, West Brom are hovering just two points above the Championship relegation zone in 21st.
Ramsay is yet to get his first win as Albion head coach since replacing Ryan Mason on 11 January this year, drawing three and losing four of his seven games in charge so far.
As such, many Baggies supporters are already calling for the Welshman to be sacked before it’s potentially too late, but with Shilen Patel already having compensated Mason this term, the money may not be available to do so again this quickly.
- Read more: Why Jay Dasilva is Coventry City’s biggest flaw as West Brom have route to first Eric Ramsay win
What Kyle Bartley has told West Brom fans about Hawthorns atmosphere
Even if the money is available to afford the compensation required to pay off Ramsay, with so few games left to go, it seems unlikely a third managerial change will be made at this stage.
So, with Ramsay set to lead West Brom into this huge survival battle over the coming weeks, he and his players are going to need every bit of help and advantage they can get/find.
However, there is a sense of apathy among the West Brom faithful towards the team and head coach at this stage, which when in times of struggle, is never a good thing.
And it’s this that former Albion defender Bartley has attempted to stress to Baggies fans, with the player who made well over 200 appearances for the club urging supporters to stick with the team.
Speaking in an interview with BBC Radio West Midlands and as quoted via their X account, Bartley said: “I’m urging the fans now – I think it’s their responsibility to stay for the whole game.
“Nobody in the building at West Brom wants us to get relegated. Nobody wants to lose a game.
“As a former player, I’m telling the fans: you can have an affect on Saturday’s performance…staying and being a voice can help motivate those players.”
West Brom take on Coventry City on Saturday in a big Midlands clash at The Hawthorns, and a positive result against the Sky Blues could do the confidence and belief of the team the world of good.
There’s no use in Albion fans not getting behind the team anymore
At times, voicing frustration and not getting behind the team can be seen as a necessary action for the greater good.
For instance, that’s undoubtedly how many fans felt and acted in the final days of the Mason era, and upon Ramsay’s appointment, Albion fans packed out The Hawthorns for his first game against Middlesbrough on 16 January.
Since then, results and performances haven’t been good enough, there’s no denying or getting away from that, but we’re now at the stage of the season where there is no real point in not supporting the team.
- West Brom have won 23 of their 34 points at home this season
- That’s despite playing two fewer home games than away ones
- West Brom’s next four are: Coventry (H), Charlton (H), Oxford (A) and Sheffield United (A)
No West Brom fan wants to see their team in League One next season, and Patel hasn’t given any indication that Ramsay will be axed with potentially a firefighter brought in to try and save the day.
Therefore, whether you like it or not, this is the West Brom team, and what a sight it would be at The Hawthorns if fans unanimously decided to just get behind those wearing their badge; it could make all the difference.
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