On 16 June 2009, Tony Mowbray left West Bromwich Albion to join Scottish club Celtic as their new manager.

He was replaced two weeks later by former Chelsea player Roberto Di Matteo, with the job title changed to head coach.

The stadium's "iconic" large-scale seat patterns, dating back to the mid-1990s—an italic "Albion" at the Smethwick End and "WBAFC" below a blue and white scarf at the Birmingham Road End—were removed as a result of the work.

The Baggies trashed Bristol City 4–1, and then became the top goalscorers in the Football League when they humiliated Sheffield Wednesday 4–0, scoring 15 goals in 4 games.

West Brom started March badly with a 3–1 loss to QPR, but wins against Sheffield Wednesday, Blackpool, Swansea, Preston and Coventry widened the gap between the play-offs and the automatic spots.

Chris Brunt then saved a point for West Brom after Danny Graham put Watford ahead.

West Brom secured promotion back to the Premier League after a 3–2 win against Doncaster Rovers on 10 April 2010.

In the second round they were taken to extra time by another League Two side, Rotherham United, where Simon Cox scored his first goal for the club.

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