Fulham legend Tony Gale has revealed what West Brom first team coach Julian Dicks told him about life in the Championship, ahead of the return of club action this weekend.
Dicks took the job of first team coach at the Hawthorns this summer following the appointment of Slaven Bilic as West Brom manager.
Fulham suffered relegation from the Premier League last season and are bidding to bounce back up to the top flight at the first time of asking, while West Brom failed to win promotion last term, losing in the playoffs.
The Cottagers play host to the Baggies this weekend at Craven Cottage and Gale, who expects Bilic's side to improve as the season goes on, has revealed what Dicks told him.
"He didn't have to sell it to me."
Julian Dicks on joining us, being part of Slaven's coaching team and his relationship with the gaffer… ?
Watch the full interview at https://t.co/CZ5IBrM5e0
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— West Bromwich Albion (@WBA) July 9, 2019
"It’s a testing return to action this Saturday, as West Brom will be one of the teams up the top, no doubt about it", Gale wrote in his column on Fulham's official site.
"They’ve still got some Premier League quality players, and they’ll continue improving the more used to the division Slaven Bilic gets.
"My old team-mate Julian Dicks is a coach there now with Slaven.
"I spoke to Dicksy the other night and he was saying how difficult they’ve found the division and how every point you gain is a hard earned one", he added.
West Brom have taken 12 points from their opening six Championship games, while Fulham have taken two points fewer from the same number of matches.
Fulham headed into the international break on the back of a 1-1 draw at Cardiff City, while West Brom edged out Blackburn Rovers 3-2.
