Why West Brom chairman Shilen Patel was in Parliament as Sarah Coombes shares new image
Shilen Patel was invited to Parliament this week for a reason West Brom fans will get fully behind.
The West Brom chairman's stock fell somewhat last season as the Baggies were dragged into a relegation scrap.
Albion stayed up by the skin of their teeth, despite being deducted a couple of points.
Patel has tried - and largely succeeded - in steadying the ship after inheriting a club in deep financial mess.
And the American businessman has now been thanked for his work at The Hawthorns over the past two-and-a-half years.
Sarah Coombes took to social media on Wednesday to explain exactly why Patel was spotted in Parliament.
Shilen Patel thanked by Labour MP Sarah Coombes
Patel has already seen plenty of drama in his relatively short tenure in the West Midlands.
West Brom fans will simply be grateful that the club are on firming financial footing now, compared to the Guochuan Lai regime.
That is not to say everything is perfect - a points deduction and relegation battle last season proves that - but the future is certainly brighter.
Patel deserves praise for that, and Labour MP Coombes did her bit to thank the 46-year-old by inviting him down to the home of British politics.
Sharing an image of herself, Shilen Patel and wife Parita outside the famous building, Coombes wrote: "I know how grateful fans are to Shilen and Parita for their belief in West Brom.
"I was delighted to invite them to Parliament to say thank you for their support for the club and the town."
Patel still has the goodwill of the West Brom fanbase, but he knows far more is needed over the summer to get Albion back to where they belong.
Patel's recent apology shows lessons have been learned
West Brom may have been operating with one arm tied behind their back last season, but that is not to say certain errors couldn't have been avoided.
Not least in the dugout, with Ryan Mason proving a bad choice and Eric Ramsay an even worse replacement.
James Morrison was to thank for keeping the Baggies up and was duly rewarded with a full-time contract.
As reported by West Brom News last month, Patel apologised to West Brom fans for "an historically bad season".
Patel vowed Albion would move on from that. The only way to do so, realistically, is to give Morrison the ammunition he needs to turn a relegation battle into a playoff push.
Barney Stewart, Jimmy-Jay Morgan, Matt Ingram and Carter Pinnington have so far been added to Morrison's squad this summer.
But when you factor in the exits of Daryl Dike, Josh Maja, Karlan Grant and others, it is clear Patel and West Brom need far more new signings yet.