WANDERERS' trip to the Hawthorns next Saturday could decide West Bromwich Albion manager Gary Megson's future, according to some reports.

Albion have struggled so far this season after winning promotion to the Premiership amid claims of dressing room unrest and a rift between Megson and chairman Jeremy Peace.

Megson reportedly fell out with Peace after making outspoken comments about the need for investment in new players.

The manager's contract runs out at the end of this season, and it is understood that the board have not offered him a new one.

But whatever the state of Megson's relationship with his board, captain Darren Moore insists that the team are united behind the manager.

Moore said: "I'd love to clear things up. There is this speculation about unrest in the dressing room. I can say as club captain and as a player that there is no unrest.

"Let me repeat again, there is no unrest in the dressing room at West Brom. The dressing room is as united as it is ever going to be.

"Where this speculation has come from, I don't know. I am sorry if it is not going to sell papers but I am here to speak honestly from my heart and just say there is no unrest in the dressing room."

Megson brought in nine players during the summer -- including Cardiff striker Robert Earnshaw, Arsenal forward Kanu and Middlesbrough midfielder Jonathan Greening -- after the club gained promotion back to the Premiership at the first attempt.

But even though many pundits expected Albion to be the most successful of the three promoted teams this season, Megson warned that the club faced a tough campaign.

A seven-match winless start to their Premiership campaign was followed by a shock Carling Cup exit at League One side Colchester last week, but Megson has vowed to fight on.

He said: "I have been a manager for eight or nine years and been in charge of West Brom for more than 200 games.

"Situations like this are things that you have to deal with as a manager.

"Alex Ferguson said that there is confrontation around the corner every day and it is in varying degrees. It is how you deal with it.

"As a manager you have to accept that there are certain things that go on which make your life more difficult.

"But if you can't accept that, you will not get very far and you are certainly in the wrong job."

Megson -- who replaced Sam Allardyce as Blackpool boss in 1996, when both men were starting out in the managerial game -- is certainly used to confrontation. Previous Albion chairman Paul Thompson left the Hawthorns after a clash with the manager.

And he was sacked by Stockport County five years ago after a fall-out with the club's then chairman Brendan Elwood.

Megson then lasted just four months at Stoke before being ousted in November 1999 by an Icelandic consortium which had bought the club and wanted their national team manager Gudjon Thordarsson as boss.

Since arriving at the Hawthorns in February 2000, Megson has taken Albion from 21st in Division One to the Premiership.

Given his success, it may seem strange that his job is considered to be under threat. But Megson is keeping things in perspective.

He said: "It can be hard for your family and friends, but all I want to do is win games. Everything else is a side show.

"There is a fine dividing line. But this is not about me. It is all about West Brom. That is important to me.

"We need to get results to stay where I believe we should be and that is in the Premiership."