James Morrison lauded how far his team have come following their Sky Bet Championship draw with Ipswich Town on Saturday afternoon.
The Baggies produced a resolute showing in their final match at The Hawthorns for the season and collected the all-important point to ensure their second-tier safety for 2026/27.
Even still, the hosts could’ve won the game with the chances they created, as they successfully tussled with another high-flying Championship team in B71.
Morrison admits he’s incredibly “proud” of his team’s efforts since taking the reins, and believes they’ll enjoy this “special moment.”
He said: “Before the game, I told the lads how proud I am of them. What they’ve achieved, even though the job wasn’t done, confirms to me that the group have come so far and that they’re in a good place.
“I knew we’d be in the game today. The fight and desire that we’ve got to do the dirty work is incredible. Fatigue set in for us at around 70 minutes, and we went into survival mode when we felt their pressure - the lads stuck in and carried on until the end.
“We had chances in the game. They had a few chances in the first half and we had some great opportunities. In games like this, it’s all about taking those moments when they come.
“All in all, with the performance, I can’t ask for much more than that. The lads have given me everything, and I’m proud of them.
“It shows how far we’ve come and how we’ve used that momentum. It shows how quickly things can turn around with a bit of hard work and just by doing the basics of football.
“If you work hard with the preparations that you put into every game, stand tall and avoid the negativity, you'll get the rewards. The lads have done incredibly well to do all of those things.
“My favourite part of this run that we've been on is right now, or when the final whistle went. We’re relieved, and we’ll enjoy special moments like this, the lads being in the dressing room, and I will remember this.
“The fans over the years have been excellent. They’ve given me a warm feeling. I’m quite a reserved character, so it’s all about the players really, they’re the ones who step over the line.
“In difficult moments, they’ve turned up. You can judge what they’re like when things get tough, and they’ve performed - things could’ve been a lot different today, but we’ve blocked it out and used it as a tool to bring us together.”
