Megson guided the Baggies back to the top flight after an absence of 16 years but has denied there is a rift between him and Albion chairman Paul Thompson.

The Albion boss was quoted as being critical of the Baggies' board on a number of issues.

The timing of Megson's alleged comments, just 24 hours after clinching promotion, threatened to rain on the Baggies' parade.

But Megson quickly moved to distance himself from the comments, which allegedly criticised his lack of control of the scouting system, lack of input into the retained list, and Albion's training facilities.

Megson said: "I am dismayed at some of the comments attributed to me in the morning papers."

"I realise I am going to have to be much more careful and selective in what I say and who I speak to.

"I feel sorry for our supporters because I won't be able to keep them as informed as I would wish for fear of continually being misquoted and, at times, having comments attributed to me I didn't even say.

"This morning's reports have come about because I said there are a lot of decisions to be made this summer.

Confident

"There are some things that are unique at West Brom which I have neither said are right nor wrong.

"Just that they are new to me, such as the scouting system and the retained list.

"I have not been publicly critical of the chairman or the board. I have not criticised anybody directly," he told the club's official website, www.wba.co.uk.

Baggies' chairman Thompson is confident Megson will still be in charge when their Premiership campaign gets under way in August.

Thompson said: "I think in the end it will be down to Gary if he stays or not.

"I hope he will be with us because the club has got a lot to offer him.

"We get on very well and when we have had disagreements we have worked together to try and find the best way forward for the club.

"Gary does have a say in things, he works with the directors, the assistant manager and the chief scout and we've brought in 17 players at a cost of �8.5m.

"We've operated in a certain way for the past 28 months and we'll continue to do things that way.

"There will be money available but it's going to take teamwork off the pitch as well as on it to survive."