Silly season already and it's not even March

Albion are preparing for the Championship according to one tabloid newspaper this morning.

Their two targets? Bailey and Croft. As in the Irish Creme Liquer and a bottle Port. Someone please pass me a drink.

Seriously, I think someone's having a laugh. Whatever next - 'Albion swoop for Johnny Walker' or 'Baggies bag John Smith'. As if Albion would be making any plans for such signings during this stage of a season, not knowing which division they'll be in next season.

I shouldn't be too surprised. The same newspaper managed to turn quotes made by Mowbray talking about the problem of promoted clubs struggling to compete with big Premier League clubs into a Mowbray and Peace 'at war' story, implying it was a dig by the Baggies boss at his employer. Best of all, the newspaper wasn't even at the press conference when Mowbray made these comments. I shudder at my profession sometimes.

The good news elsewhere is that Albion fans from the www.westbrom.com website are edging closer towards their campaign to 'Bring Back the Brummie' atmosphere. Naming themselves the 'Bomber Squad', they had successful talks with Albion staff yesterday (Tuesday). Martin Greenwood, one of the brains behind the scheme, said "They are 100 per cent behind what we are trying to achieve, and have taken everything I threw at them on board, and mirrored this with their own suggestions to, which indicated they are looking at this very pro-actively.

"It looks to me that this campaign is only going to go the one way: Onwards and upwards."

Which is just as well they are dealing with Albion and not Middlesbrough, who have asked their fans to keep the noise down at the Riverside.

Fans in the south-east corner of the Riverside were handed a letter from club safety officer Sue Watson. The letter said: "I am receiving more and more complaints from our own fans also seated in this area about both the persistant standing and the constant banging and noise coming from the back of the stand. Please stop, make as much noise as you like when we score, but this constant noise is driving some fans mad."

For those of you interested in more things Albion don't just settle for my blog. Check out Stuart Hudson's occasional ramblings of the Baggies, football and life in general. You can read it here. I admit I have a vested interest. Not only is he married to my sister, but he also hates Coldplay. Good man.