Leicester, Burnley and QPR await when fixtures are out next week
ALBION will come up against three newly-promoted Barclays Premier League clubs when the 2014/15 fixtures are announced on Wednesday at 9am.
Midlands neighbours Leicester claimed last season’s Championship title and were followed by runners-up Burnley while QPR claimed the spoils in the Wembley play-off final, replacing relegated trio Fulham, Cardiff and Norwich.
The Baggies will create history against Leicester and Burnley respectively having never previously faced them in the Premier League era, while the Black Country club are yet to taste defeat in four meetings with QPR.
Stay tuned right here to Albion’s official website as well as the club’s Twitter and Facebook accounts from 9am on Wednesday as next season’s fixtures are released.
Here we bring you a quick guide to the Premier League's new boys:
Leicester
Former Albion assistant manager Nigel Pearson finally led the Foxes back to England’s top table after a ten-year absence, doing it in style as they finished on a club-record 102 points.
David Nugent and Jamie Vardy led the scoring, bagging 36 goals between them, while the likes of goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, defender Wes Morgan and midfielder Danny Drinkwater were also key performers.
Albion last faced Leicester in league competition in the 2009/10 Championship campaign while their most recent meetings in the top flight came back in 1985/86.
And history is on Albion’s side having lost just one of their previous 13 top-flight meetings with the Foxes.
Burnley
The Clarets comfortably claimed second spot in the Championship, with their tally of 93 points higher than the division's three previous champions.
Danny Ings and Sam Vokes led the way as they bagged 41 of the club’s 72 goals between them, ensuring the Lancashire outfit’s return to the Premier League after a single season stay in 2009/10.
Like Leicester, Burnley were the only other side to boast three players in last season’s PFA Championship Team of the Year in the shape of Ings as well as defenders Kieran Trippier and Jason Shackell.
Albion’s most recent league tussles with Burnley came in the second tier in 2007/08 while they last met among England’s elite in 1970/71.
QPR
The R`s have endured just a single season exile from the Premier League following relegation after back-to-back campaigns in the top flight.
The London club sealed their return in dramatic style as Bobby Zamora clinched a last-gasp victory over Derby in last month's play-off final at Wembley, coming after they finished the campaign in fourth place.
Charlie Austin spearheaded their promotion charge with 17 goals among a squad boasting a host of familiar names, including the likes of Robert Green, Richard Dunne, Jermaine Jenas, Joey Barton and Niko Kranjcar among others.
Albion’s last top-flight encounter against QPR came in the shape of a 2-1 victory at Loftus Road on Boxing Day 2012, ensuring they did the double in 2012/13 having also claimed four points during the previous campaign.