Bruce has had a dreadful start at West Brom, but damage was done when they hired Ismael over Wilder

The West Bromwich Albion fans who showered their team with boos for the umpteenth time this season may reflect that if their club had taken a different route last summer, everything could have been so different.

In their two most recent seasons outside the top flight, Albion never dropped below fourth place. Monday night’s 2-0 home defeat by Swansea left them 13th, eight points adrift of the play-offs with boss Steve Bruce already questioning his players’ mental strength after taking just one point from his first five games.

Yet when the club were relegated from the Premier League last season, the best man to take them back up was available — and wanted the job.

Instead of hiring Chris Wilder, who had taken Sheffield United from League One to the top flight and kept them there, West Brom went for Valerien Ismael, handing him a four-year deal and paying £2million compensation to Barnsley.

It was a remarkable show of faith in a coach whose record in English football was a single successful campaign at Oakwell.

Senior figures at the club were thought to have been alarmed by Wilder’s outspoken remarks during the final days of his five-year spell at Bramall Lane. They felt the 54-year-old could cause problems. But the only aspect of Wilder’s character that really mattered was his ability to inspire players.

After being overlooked by West Brom, Wilder succeeded Neil Warnock at Middlesbrough last November and has them two points outside the play-offs.

West Brom are eight points adrift of the play-offs following the 2-0 defeat by Swansea

Ismael made a bright start and by the turn of the year had the backing of owner Guochuan Lai, who sanctioned the £7.7million signing of striker Daryl Dike from Orlando FC — only for the 21-year-old to suffer a hamstring injury in his second game.

But once results turned, there was nothing left, and Ismael’s fate was sealed by the 2-0 defeat at Millwall on January 29. 

The ultra-direct style of play did not sit well with much of the squad, with senior players Robert Snodgrass, Sam Johnstone and Jordan Hugill among those to have run-ins with the abrasive Frenchman. 

Fans were turned off by dreary football and were voting with their feet.

West Brom have only scored one goal in seven games despite the arrival of Andy Carroll

Albion fans have also become frustrated at seeing academy staff move to local rivals Aston Villa. 

Coach Mark Harrison and scout Steve Hopcroft were among those to make the four-mile journey along with 19-year-old midfielder Tim Iroegbunam, who was handed his Premier League debut as a substitute in Villa’s 2-0 win at Brighton last weekend.

The problem for Albion is that in Bruce’s month at the helm, form has deteriorated, with only a single goal to go with the one point earned.

Bruce has all but given up on the play-offs and his comments about his players after the recent defeat at Luton — ‘We have to do more, and in particular you have to have the ability to roll up your sleeves a bit more and show something’ — suggest a summer clear-out is on the cards.

The damage was done when they went for Valerien Ismael over Chris Wilder last summer

Bruce is likely to be backed in the summer after signing an 18-month deal last month. 

Yet the reality is that he has not made the impact expected and that Albion’s promotion prospects look more remote than they did under Ismael.

With two of the next three games against leaders Fulham and third-placed Huddersfield, things may get worse before they get better.

And if Wilder takes Boro up, those who ignored him last summer will kick themselves.