IT all started back in October when two Wolves fans Christened the Hawthorns pitch in their own classy manner.

In the return fixture dozen or so men clad in Albion kit then took the proverbial to give Mick McCarthy one giant final flush.

So quite what Wolves fans make of their club's actions during the past fortnight is perhaps beyond comprehension, or words. Certainly words suitable for publication.

But what of Albion?

Let me jog your memory.

"The average lifespan of a manager or head coach is 13 months...so if you're not prepared for the possibility of change, you're not really taking your responsibility seriously."

Remember this?

It's an extract from an interview with Albion's sporting and technical director Dan Ashworth in the club's matchday programme back in October 2009.

Ashworth added: "All through last season, I identified and tracked some potential candidates and did reports on them, similar to the way in which we do player reports.

"We looked at how their teams set up, their results, was their style of play conducive to the players we've got and the way the supporters expect us to play? We didn't want to go from one extreme to the other."

At the time, the very suggestion that Albion might be already looking for Roberto Di Matteo's successor was derided by some, implying that it undermined the Italian.

Balderdash.

It's called forward planning - the kind of forward planning lacking elsewhere. Witness the hapless pursuit of a Villa manager back in the summer. Steve McClaren not popular with the fans? Ok, so let's appoint someone even less popular - after the bloke at Wigan (yes, Wigan) has turned us down.

And as for Wolves... well.

Bruce, Curbishley, McDermott have been spoken to. Walter Smith has been asked. Even Dave Jones has been sounded out.

So what are Wolves looking for? A firefighter? A modern-thinking coach? A pragmatist? An innovator? A senior statesman? Or even someone who failed them ultimately - Jones was sacked remember - when he was last manager at the club?

Who knows?

Meanwhile, over at B71 the search for Hodgson's successor continues. That replacement might be needed this summer. He might be required beyond. Preparation is key.

The managerial job of any football club is its nuclear briefcase. You need someone ready and willing in case the President gets lost at sea - not just those within his own team, but candidates outside too.

It's about due diligence. And Albion, by doing their homework now, are ensuring there should be no slip-ups when that day comes.

Jeremy Peace has got it right in recent times. He's looked outside of the box and got the right man, whether by design or not.

Not many would have replaced a manager of the gravitas of Bryan Robson - the fans might not have rated him, but the players did very highly - with a guy who had done a decent job at Hibernian but was raw and new to English club management. Tony Mowbray did more than ok. Ironically, the alternative was Alex McLeish.

Alan Irvine was close to replacing Mowbray when he left in 2009. Albion had a lucky escape there.

Roberto Di Matteo, however, more than fulfilled the brief. From memory he was about 40-1 when the market opened after Mowbray's exit to Celtic.

Again, a break from the norm - but it came from within the club, as Ashworth explained.

Back in October 09, he continued: "Once we knew Tony was going, we were well ahead of the game, we had a list that we'd been tracking for any months and Roberto was amongst those names. I saw MK Dons two or three times last season, a 0-0 draw at Peterborough where they played 4-3-3 playing open, attractive football.

"He got a lot of plaudits last season for their success on a low budget, reaching the play-offs, and he was very much in our minds as we set about what was an interesting process to find Tony's successor. I'm convinced we got the right man for the job in the end. He's made a great start but we're still less than a quarter of the way through the season so nobody is getting carried away with anything."

Let's hope Ashworth allowed himself to get slightly carried away by the time Albion got promoted a few months later. I would like to think Albion's sporting and technical director did the odd cartwheel at the Emirates when they won 3-2.

Hodgson's appointment was fortuitous in many respects. Albion had a decent selection to choose from. Sam Allardyce was a non-starter but, nevertheless, was available. Chris Hughton was close but wanted to bring his entourage. Expensive. Ashworth, meanwhile, did enough to keep Hodgson sweet following an initial first round of talks between the eventual manager and the club's board. The veteran boss was convinced Albion was the right job, the Baggies sold him a package which suited all parties and the whole process was rubber-stamped with great efficiency and utter professionalism.

The Baggies might not always land their first choice, but there is a clear structure in place.

The success of Albion's model has been noted elsewhere - it has emerged that one Championship club is looking into a similar structure having been inspired by the Baggies' Modus Operandi.

So while dithering continues elsewhere, Albion continue to lead the way in the West Midlands.

Albion will know what to do should Hodgson leave this summer.

Even if he doesn't go just yet, you would imagine they'll be prepared for when he finally does.

BOBBY Gould.

Yes, that one. The ex-Albion boss. Former Wolves (and Albion) striker.

You might bump into him this Sunday.

The extrovert 65-year-old is the latest VIP participant for the pre-Wolves vs Albion March To Molineux.

But with a difference.

The 'Gouldfather' won't so much be walking...more running the entire 10.5miles, to be exact.

And he intends showing allegiance to both clubs, wearing an Albion top for half of the course and a Wolves shirt for the remainder.

Gould said: "When I heard about this walk and thought back to the happy times I had at the two clubs, I just decided on the spur of the moment that I wanted to be there.

"I know I've been living down here in Portishead for the last 30-odd years and had better make all this conditional on us not being snowed in this weekend. But I'm looking forward greatly to joining in.

"You would struggle to find a better cause than the Acorns Children's Hospice and I will love being among the fans of the two clubs again.

"I plan to run the first half of the course in an Albion top and the second half in a Wolves shirt. And I will be staying on to watch the game afterwards.

"I run most days of the week anyway. It will be brilliant to have an extra purpose this time with something at the end of it all.

"I'm old enough for my bus pass now, so I'm not sure what my time will be."

The former Welsh boss wasn't the most popular manager at The Hawthorns - kids, best ask your dad - but was well received when he returned in November, 2010, for a meeting with Albion Supporters Club members following the launch of his autobiography 24 Carat Gould.

Also due to be taking part in Sunday's walk, which is being started from The Hawthorns' Astle Gates at 9am by Brendon Batson MBE and former Wolves and Albion striker Cyrille Regis MBE, are Mel Eves and the former Baggies duo of Ian Hamilton and Derek Monaghan.

Fans from both clubs are taking part and anyone else who wishes to do support the effort either as a sponsor or a walker can make contact with the organisers by ringing Kieren Caldwell on 07548-748959, by emailing him at walkforacorns@gmail.com or through
http://www.facebook.com/events/318434308197578 and
http://www.justgiving.com/teams/MarchToMolineux

For more information on Acorns Children's Hospice, please go here

ALBION or Wolves.

There will be only one winner this Sunday.

It will be masterminded by Baggies fan Kieren Caldwell and assisted by a group of 50-or-so football supporters - from both sides of the A41 divide -and aided by at least six ex-footballers.

You might hear or see it referred to as the March To Molineux.

Kieren and friends will be marching from The Hawthorns to Molineux on the morning of this Sunday's 1.30pm kick-off.

Ceremoniously collecting the matchball from the centre circle, at 8.30am, the walkers will be joined by ex-heroes of both clubs, notably Cyrille Regis, Brendon Batson, Mel Eves, Ian Hamilton and Derek Monaghan.

On a serious note, there is good reason for this 10.5-mile trek.

Kieren is raising money for Acorns Children's Hospice.

His daughter Emma was diagnosed with a brain tumour at 13-months old.

The nature of the tumour has necessitated 18 months of chemotherapy and at least five operations.

Emma is now three-years-old and making progress.

Kieren now hopes the occasion of a local derby will bring fans together to help raise funds.

"This is a unique event and for a great cause," said Kieren.

"Acorns provide vital care for kids with life threatening or life limiting illnesses but also offer parents' respite care.

"When something like this hits you, you're running around, trying to do this, that, and rushing all over the place.

"Everything else takes a back seat. But Acorns looked after Emma on an occasional basis to give us some normality in our lives.

"We wanted to put something back and this is a great chance - a big derby game, it's good to do something positive than can unite both sets of fans."

The walkers will also be joined by Ian Marrey, whose son Jude has also received care from Acorns.

So if you do see the fans marching from B71 to WV1 then please give them your backing and support.

And let's hope their limbs aren't aching too much by the time they reach Molineux - not least as they have the matchball...

Anyone wishing to join: walkforacorns@gmail.com

To make a donation: www.justgiving.com/walkforacorns.

For more information on Acorns: http://www.acorns.org.uk/