West Brom suffered defeat in the FA Cup last night, so the whole focus for Albion will be on returning to the Premier League.

And, they are in a great position to do just that despite a shock loss at home to Wigan Athletic in the Championship last time out.

Having suffered play-off heartbreak to local rivals Aston Villa last season, new boss Slaven Bilic had a job on his hands to lift the mood around the club.

As well as that, he had to contend with top scorers Jay Rodriguez and Dwight Gayle leaving the club.

So, to have the Baggies six points clear of third place is a great achievement and it seems inevitable to many that Albion will be back in the top-flight next season.

Whilst it's a collective effort, Bilic will understandably take the plaudits and here we look at THREE things we've learnt about the Croatian from his time at The Hawthorns so far...

He is loyal to his players

One positive trait about Bilic is that he sticks with his players and backs them.

For example, Hal Robson-Kanu wasn't the most popular figure in the summer and few envisaged he would become an integral part of this team but the boss saw what he could do in pre-season and he has been pivotal to their promotion push.

If you work hard in training, he will give you opportunities and performing on the pitch means you will keep your place. Big names such as Charlie Austin, Kieran Gibbs and Ahmed Hegazi have all had spells on the sidelines.

He will give youth a chance

Albion have a very good academy but they have seen so many talents leave The Hawthorns without getting a chance in recent years.

However, that's changed under Bilic. He gave Nathan Ferguson his debut at the start of the campaign and the likes of Kyle Edwards and Dara O'Shea are now involved. It's great for the fans and those coming through the ranks know the management will help their careers.

QUIZ: Do you know what these 13 ex-West Brom players are doing now?

He is too good for the Championship

When the ex-Besiktas chief was appointed by Albion it seemed a coup, after all, Bilic has proven himself at the top level in various countries over the years.

Fortunately for the Baggies, those initial thoughts have been spot on. Everything he does, from his man-management to his substitutions and tactics appears to be spot on and the club really are lucky to have him in the second-tier.