By Paul Holmes
May 14 2002

West Brom manager, Gary Megson, has been awarded the First Division Manager of the Year Award following his teams promotion to the Premier League. Megson worked a virtual miracle at the Hawthornes this season having seen Lee Hughes leave to Coventry in the summer and Jason Roberts sitting most the season due to injury.

Megson made best do with the resources available and made some shrewd singings over the season. Scott Dobie was his first signing from Carlise for a bargain £150,000. Defensive rock, Darren Moore, followed in mid-Septmeber from Portsmouth for £750,000. Notts Forest midfielder arrived a few days later for just £200,000. Target man Danny Dichio was bought for £1,250,000 from Sunderland at the turn of the year. Keeper Andy Petterson was the final purchase of the season on a free transfer from Portsmouth.

A combined total of £2,350,000 - not bad considering Lee Hughes was sold for £5 million.

Megson also made smart use of loan players, bringing in Warren Cummings on a season long loan from Chelsea as well as Danny Dichio (Sunderland - before purchase), Uwe Rosler (Southampton), Stanislav Varga (Sunderland) and Trevor Benjamin (Leicester).

Peter Taylor won the Division 2 award after taking Brigton to the Championship. Plymouth's Paul Sturrock took the Division 3 accolade after they won the Championship.