Graeme Smith has called on Albion to turn today’s home game against Stockport into the starting point for a successful season.

The Scot makes his full debut in goal, with Michel Kuipers suspended following his red card in Tuesday’s 7-1 drubbing at Huddersfield.

Smith, signed from Motherwell on a Bosman free transfer in the summer after starting his career with Glasgow Rangers, said: “I’m glad it’s a home game, so I can get to know the place.

“I am just here wanting to do well and trying to get the club up the other end of the table.

“At Rangers it was all about winning, wherever we played, so I found it hard losing when I first went to Motherwell but you realise there is no point dwelling on stuff. It was three points we lost on Tuesday. Okay, we were battered. It was a bad result and we all played badly but let’s move on and be positive.

“Hopefully I can impress people and we can reflect back if we achieve something and point at this as the starting point.”

Smith made an eventful debut at Huddersfield. Booked as soon as he came on, he was immediately beaten by the penalty Kuipers conceded, saved another spot-kick in the second half and conceded five of the goals.

Now he has the chance to establish himself, with Kuipers serving a one-match ban and the Dutchman sweating over the danger of further punishment for his ferocious reaction to his dismissal.

Smith said: “I have been battered 5-1 at Celtic Park. The best thing for everyone associated with the club is to put it away, learn from it and move forward.

“It’s not the way I would have wanted to get in but hopefully I will take my opportunity and not look back.

“I have been used to playing for the last four years so the last couple of weeks have been strange.

“At Rangers as a young kid I was expecting to be back-up but you have to prepare yourself.”

Meanwhile it has emerged Albion have paid an initial £200,000 for Elliott Bennett, the young winger signed on a three-year deal from Wolves.

The fee could rise to £250,000 based on achievement.