Albion fans will not be sorry to see the end of 2017. A year that started with such promise is ending with the club battling against relegation and just two league wins since the beginning of April.
On Boxing Day, the news filtered out amongst the Albion community that Richard Eades, long time mascot at the Hawthorns, had tragically died in the early hours of the morning.
The Baggies did everything but score against Everton, but the club record winless run goes on now standing at 18 Premier League games, 19 overall.
A few weeks ago, West Bromwich Albion versus Everton looked like being a relegation battle but, with both clubs having appointed new managers, only one of the clubs looks to be in danger of the drop.
At the halfway point of the season, it doesn’t take a genius to work out that there needs to be a significant improvement in results in the second half if Albion are to extend their eight-season stay in the Premier League.
The Bet365 Stadium plays host to a pre-Christmas basement battle on Saturday as 17th-placed Stoke City welcome 19th-placed West Bromwich Albion in what is a crucial game for both clubs.