ISSUE 12 WEST BROMWICH ALBION LONDON SUPPORTERS CLUB Glenn Hess Aidan Rose The BaggieShorts Team: op-eds andthinkpieces. from match reports andphotosto We alwaysappreciate submissions, [email protected] E-mail usat: Photographs byLaurieRampling 09. 06. 03. Aidan Rose Midweek GamesPreview Paul Probyn Albion andtheWorldCup 04. Paul & Anoushka Probyn Editors’ Letter CONTENTSSteve Watts View FromTheChair Anoushka Probyn Paul Probyn GET IN TOUCH! GET 22. 20. Nick Grant by Aidan Rose Q&A Glenn Hess An OdetoTchoyi 14. Jon Want Pulis Purchases 11. Aidan Rose Our TopPremPlayers @LondonBaggies @LondonBaggies Branch Supporters ClubLondon WestBromwich Albion Hawthorns next season. hestays……… If team continues, wemaywellhaveourveryowncup-winner at the lifted the World Cup, NacerChadli’s althoughif runintheBelgium theselectbandtohaveplayedfor Westof Bromwich AND tohave By thetimeyouread this, Lukaku maywellhavebecomeamember Somen Tchoyi, while Adam Hesswaxes lyricalaboutRomelu Lukaku. Elsewhere inthisissueGlennHesscontinueshisloveaffair with Londonsively reveals Baggies. our poll of theresults of broke intotherichleague in2002?On page10 Aidan Rose exclu- sincewe the 11seasons wehavespentinthemodern“topflight” page 12. Butwhohave beenourbestPremier League playersacross Jon Want takes signingsunderPulis alookbackat amixed bagof on up. final pushunderDarren Moore, whichsadlycouldn’tquite keep us a tumultuousseason withafairfew lowsredeemed byacourageous even thestalwarts suchasFoster, McAuley, and Yacob. We witnessed pionship footballtolookforward to, witha skeleton team devoidof In othernews, Cham- we’vegotanodoubtequallyexciting season of cup inPaul Probyn’s BaggiesinRussia review (page06). of it caused, butitwasworth it). Read about Albion’s tieswiththeworld come theirpenaltyhoodoo(we’llbeseekingtherapy fortheanxiety quietly optimistic, particularly sincewitnessingEnglandfinallyover ance againstSwedeninthequarter-finals. writingwe’re Atthetimeof comes toyoufrom England’s sunnySamara ontheeveof appear Здравствуйте from Russia! This World BaggieShorts Cupeditionof From the

editors - Anoushka andPaulProbyn - - 03. across as just a lovely individual it from the last few weeks of and a real “people person”. I the season, I’m less sure about suspect, with him being an ex- many of the players. We have centre-half, there is some dev- at least seen the club stalwarts ilment in there somewhere and strive to perform - Brunt and VIEW FROM I’m not sure anyone would be Foster in particular (and maybe sensible getting on his wrong include Dawson in that - albeit side. he may well be off elsewhere for next season). Brunt has I do recognise that some fans committed to next year and I THE CHAIR have misgivings about his ex- read somewhere that Gibbs had perience to work at this level, done the same. but in the few games he was in Steve Watts charge he did mix it with some Whilst these are pleasing de- pretty impressive managerial velopments, the issue about re- Well, it finally came to pass de- were always likely to stay up. talent and still came out on the placing our long-serving players spite the hope instilled during For us (and despite the poor right side of the win/loss line. has been an outstanding issue the last few games. Palace performance - largely for some time, and the higher understandable after we’d al- I’m confident that, because of echelons of the Albion hierar- What a magnificent show of ready been relegated earlier in who he is, we’ll all get behind chyseem to have lost their fo- defiance from Albion fans at the week) the final weeks were him and that in itself makes a cus on this. Crystal Palace even though it just a case of “too little, too pleasant change for an Albion will be Rotherham rather than late”. Manager/Head Coach. It is telling that Albion has ap- Shrewsbury we will be visiting pointed Ke Xu (aka ‘Ken’) to the this coming season. On a more positive note, at On a personal level, I just hope Baggies Board, who at 29 years least we now have a manag- that he is committed to being old is significantly younger than There were some lovely warm er who does seem to be very a little more entertaining than many of our players. In terms words from during passionate about the club. We Mr Pulis - ruthlessly effective of age profile, I’d certainly have the week and afterwards about were lucky enough to meet Dar- though his football might have expected it to be the other way the Albion and it’s only a pity ren fairly recently at a London been for long parts of his ten- around. that timing made it unlikely he Baggies event where he proved ure. could return to the Hawthorns to be an engaging and motivat- Have a fantastic Baggies-free hot seat. ing person. I’m sure Darren will put his own summer and please don’t forget stamp on things and hopefully to re-join. Palace certainly has an impres- I guess if there are any doubts we will get in the right person- sive strike force, and with their about him it’s how tough he nel to drive us forward. Whilst Onwards and hopefully up- team organised properly they might be because he comes Darren can take great cred- wards!

04. 05. too late. Albion fans scrutinising finished as England’s top scorer. his contribution to Poland’s dis- Albion and mal campaign may be forgiven England went one better in 1962, for feeling a sense of deja vu. losing to Brazil in the quarter fi- nals, again with Howe, Robson the World Cup Nacer Chadli also made it to Rus- and Kevan in the squad. Sadly sia despite his lack of playing time none of them made it to 1966, by Paul Probyn last season and Belgium’s wealth when Alf Ramsey’s Albion-less of available talent. He played squad lifted the trophy. wing-back against England in Ka- As Baggie Shorts goes to press, squad, Albion fans’ eyes were on liningrad, apparently picked just It was in the following tourna- the quadrennial World Cup hys- Egypt, with Ahmed Hegazi and Ali to make up the numbers in a poor ments that the name of West teria across England is fizzling Gabr, Albion’s mystery loan sign- game between two scratch sides. Bromwich Albion became most out. The national team may have ing, in the heart of the defence, closely linked to the World Cup, redeemed themselves after un- and both playing very minute of Chadli surprisingly kept his place albeit for the wrong reasons. Jeff der-performing woefully at a suc- the group stage. against Japan and scored the Astle, a nervous flyer, arrived in cession of tournaments, but an- winning goal in Belgium’s dra- Mexico City for the 1970 tourna- other four years must pass before Egypt were unlucky to lose their matic comeback. He then played ment after an epic bender on the they have any chance of emulat- first game, against Uruguay, for 80 minutes against Brazil in the plane (remember the days of free ing the heroes of 1966. A whole whom Gimenez powered in an quarter-final before the famil- in-flight booze?), and reportedly generation of English supporters 89th minute header - after which iar sight of him limping off, but stumbled through the airport dis- may live and die without seeing the finger-pointing TV cameras he was back again for Belgium’s guised in a photographer’s cape. us lift the Cup. focused on the unfortunate He- semi-final defeat against France. gazi - but after that it was down- So much exposure in the global The King played in two of En- Once again, the World Cup of- hill all the way to a point-less exit. shop window will probably mean gland’s group matches in Mexico fered ample evidence of the En- he never has to wear the blue and 1970, but is remembered only for glish ’s global Similarly, Grzegorz Krychowiak, white stripes again. THAT miss against Brazil in a glo- dominance. But while some clubs despite his underwhelming form rious 1-0 defeat. Watching the re- saw most of their first team squads on loan at the Hawthorns from But, in truth, Albion’s relationship plays on youtube nearly 50 years shipped out to Russia, the busi- Paris St Germain, was a first choice with the World Cup has always later, it doesn’t look quite so bad: ness class seats on flights from in Poland’s midfield and played been a chequered one. The first Astle shot from close to the penal- Sandwell International Airport to 90 minutes in all three group World Cup to feature Albion play- ty spot and screwed the ball past Moscow were sadly vacant. games. His comedy backpass that ers was 1958; four, including Don the post with only the keeper to led to Senegal’s winning goal in Howe, Bobby Robson and Der- beat - an omen, given England’s With Gareth Southgate spar- Poland’s first game was cancelled ek Kevan, were members of the record from the penalty spot since ing Baggie blushes by omitting out by a rare headed goal just be- squad that was knocked out in then (until the victory against Co- Jake Livermore from his England fore full-time, but it was too little, the group stage, although Kevan lombia in Moscow).

06. 07. England sat out the next two Fast forward to South Africa, Port Midweek Fixtures Preview World Cups, so it fell to Scotland’s Elizabeth, 23rd June 2010, and a Willie Johnston to fly the Albion proud moment for your truly, the by Aidan Rose flag. Johnston was expelled from first time watching an Albion play- the 1978 tournament for taking er live in World Cup action, admit- Championship football involves boozers. So, we consulted St Mir- an over-the-counter hay fever tedly AGAINST England. Robert a punishing two games a week. ren fan Duncan Mackay who is a remedy containing a banned sub- Koren was on the losing side that And that is not just for the cosset- life-long groundhopper and pub stance. This apparently innocent day, but he had played every min- ed players but also for travelling ticker. You can read more about mistake led to an international ute of Slovenia’s campaign and fans. We have five midweek away his ongoing exploits at pubmeis- outcry and a year-long ban im- scored the only goal in their vic- fixtures plus the promotion party ter.wordpress.com posed by FIFA; he never played tory against Algeria - so he could at Derby at the end of the season. for Scotland again. reasonably be judged the most Duncan tells us “I would contend successful WBA World Cup play- These trips involve long distanc- you have the world’s best divi- The next Albion player to light up er of recent times. Except we’d al- es so we thought those who can sion for beer (as long as you don’t the World Cup was Jimmy Nich- ready told him his contract would make the games could benefit mention Blackburn)”. We asked oll, who followed relegation with not be renewed, and he never from making the most of the trips him to nominate the easy option West Brom by playing every min- played for West Brom again. by taking in the sights and quality and a connoisseur’s choice. ute of Northern Ireland’s fruitless 1986 campaign, before leaving But a word for . He Away Game When? The Easy Connoisseur’s Local the club later that summer to re- played in England’s last match in Pub Choice Attraction turn to Rangers. Brazil 2014, keeping an outstand- ing clean sheet against Costa Rica Nottingham 7th August Stratford Canal House The Brian Albion’s subsequent wilderness in Belo Horizonte. But England Forest Haven Clough Way years were matched by an ab- were already out, so it didn’t real- Middles- 25th Au- Isaac Wil- Infant Hercules The wonderful sence of World Cup call-ups, and ly matter. We’d been undone by brough gust son Transporter a full 20 years were to pass be- Uruguay in the previous match. Bridge fore Baggies fans could follow Foster never played for England Sheffield 3rd Sep- Sheffield Kelham Island The Teeming their heroes again, thanks to the again. Wednesday tember Tap Tavern Statue presence of Junichi Inamoto and at the 2006 edi- Our very own Diego Lugano was Swansea City 28th No- Bank State- Mumbles Ale The tidal lagoon. vember ment House Oh! It’s been tion in Germany. But Japan and in that Uruguay squad, but after cancelled. Poland both fell at the first hurdle, playing in Uruguay’s opening de- and although Inamoto made a feat against Costa Rica he suffered Bristol City 9th April The Bridge Pubs on King Anything involv- couple of appearances, Kuszczak a knee injury and never played for inn Street ing Brunel was an unused substitute in all Uruguay again. Or for West Brom. Derby Coun- 5th May The Bruns- The Furnace The Brian three games. Both of them left the The curse had struck yet again. ty wick Inn Clough Way club the following season.

08. 09. Nottingham cludes the mandatory claim of use by Dylan Thomas. The Queen’s Hotel in A good beer city with options be- Gloucester Place is a proper pub with Our Top Premier tween the town and ground. Avoid local beers. Nearby Mumbles has the the Brewhouse and Kitchen (formu- Pilot brewpub and Wales’ first mi- laic and inconsistent beer quality) on cro-pub – the Mumbles Ale House. Trent Bridge. Choose the Stratford League Players Haven, 2, Stratford Road for plenty of Bristol choice. The Canal House has a nar- by Aidan Rose rowboat on the canal inside the pub. Brilliant beer destination, one of the Better options exist around Canning best in the country. The Bridge Inn is Circus. The Organ Grinder (21 Alfre- near the station and a good place to ton Road) is a Blue Monkey Brewery get off the mark for the day. Home in We asked London Baggies to player back in the days when that house that also has real ciders. to King Street for The Small Bar. The nominate their three best play- was the fashion at The Hawthorns. Famous Royal Navy Volunteer and ers from the Premier League era. Youssef Mulumbu did come from Middlesbrough the Beer Emporium are distinctly up- Now we all know that football market with prices to match, but you existed before the greed league The Isaac Wilson is a Spoons next to can get every beer style in the coun- was created, and a few of us recall the station. The Infant Hercules is the try between them. For novelty, the best of several micropubs in the Bak- floating Grain Barge near the rede- that we were actually quite good er St area, impeccable beer quality veloped harbour has five beers and in the fifties, sixties and seventies. faces the SS Great Britain. However, this is a look at the mod- Sheffield ern era. And not scientific either. Derby Looking at the players selected Spoilt for choice in the Holy City as it’s by members, seven had squad known to beer tickers, and fortunate- Step outside the station for the Bruns- numbers in our excruciatingly ly you have two visits. The Sheffield wick, a multi-roomed Brewhouse, awful embarrassing last season. Tap on the station is a well-restored and the Alexandra, now a Castle However, looking at the profile former first class refreshment room Rock house. Not far to the ground ei- we actually had quite a few de- with good range of ales. The Kelham ther. The Furnace Inn, Duke Street is Island area has an embarassment home to the Shiny Brewery with eight cent players. Indeed, so spoilt for of riches including the highly rated handpumps. The Babington Arms choice were we that Goran Popov Kelham Island Tavern with a dozen (Babington Lane) is the best Spoons didn’t get a single vote. handpumps and within staggering in the country for beer - like a perma- distance of the Fat Cat, Shakespeare nent beer festival. Before we look at the top three and other gems. The city where there we need to give honourable is the highest risk of missing the Bonus on Saturday 22nd April at mentions to a few of our favour- game. Reading ites here at Baggie Shorts Tow- ers. First was a member of the Reading’s The Nag’s Head is THE es- Swansea best midfield in the world. Zol- Africa and he was so much better sential beer bar in the town and runs Wind Street has a Spoons (Bank State- a bus to all home games (as does the tan Gera was an attacking wide than Kaka. He played 197 games ment) and the No Sign Bar, which in- nearby Foresters). Visitors welcome. 10. 11. Adam Hess on most faithful servant in the QUIZ TIME “When rumours started appearing that we wanted him on loan, I was modern era, he’s been with Which Premier League player has so excited and did not believe there was any chance of us capturing his us for over a decade and is scored the most goals against us? services for real. It felt like all my birthdays and Christmases had come now a member of the 300 Send your answers to: at once when, on the 10th August 2012, he officially signed a year-long club. He’s been asked to [email protected] loan contract. The rest is history: 17 goals in 35 games and a deadly use his fabulous left foot all The winner will receive a dreadful, partnership with the silky Peter Odemwingie ensured our highest league worthless prize but will be named over the place, stripped of finish in my lifetime. His presence, power and speed terrorized defences in despatches. and had not been seen at the Hawthorns since, dare I say it, the late, the club captaincy in favour great . It was the only season that we’ve spent in the top of some bloke who then flight where I felt we could beat any team every week with him up front thought Stoke City was the and for that reason he is the best player I think we’ve had in the pre- future. He had a coin thrown miership era.” at him by one of our native pond life and suffered a cru- ciate ligament injury which for us and many times he was denied him the opportunity man of the match even before a to play at the Euros. To Chris ball was even kicked. Jonas was Brunt we say, ‘Thank you’. a brick and we are delighted that he lifted a trophy back home in Albion’s number one is, of Sweden last season. And he had course, England’s number great taste in music, picking Baba one. Ben Foster is the best O’Reilly to be played as part of a goalkeeper any of us can set-list before a home game. remember and he won this poll by a country mile. Who So, for the results. In third place knows what would have is the dreadlocked Romelu Mena- happened to us without him. ma Lukaku Bolingoli. On loan Save after save, marshalling from Chelsea in 2013-14, he some dodgy defenders and Ian Tinsley on Ben Foster scored 17 goals – often coming sometimes coming up to not off the bench – more than any of score from a corner. His un- “My fondest memory was Ben’s penalty his Chelsea team-mates that term. fortunate departure seems save against Gerrard in the 2012-13 We find it difficult to understand to be dividing opinions. We season resulting in a 0-2 win at a why he was not voted our player at Baggie Shorts say a big ground where winning had become of the season. He obviously cared thanks to Fozzie for saving a distant dream.” for The Albion. our bacon so many times. Maybe it’s time for all of us Second is Brunty. Probably our to move on.

12. 13. PULIS PURCHASES but the move to the Hawthorns revitalised his career.He went on to play in every league game during his time at the club and was a lynchpin of the Albion midfield, having immediately been - A MIXED BAG given the captain’s armband. by Jon Want

Tony Pulis was appointed Head Coach on 1st January 2015 and was relieved of his duties on 20th November 2017. During that If ever there was an archetypal player, it would be time, the Baggies signed eighteen players permanently and a James McClean. Extraordinarily hard-working, uncomplaining, flex- further seven on loan, while eighteen players were transferred out ible and combative. A controversial figure, the Irish international permanently, and there were 21 deals in which players, mostly continues to divide opinion, but limited as a footballer as he may youngsters, were loaned out. be, he has never given any less than his all for the team.

Arguably, the Welshman could be said to have transformed the squad, but perhaps not in the way that many Baggies fans would have liked, and in this piece, I look at how each permanent sign- ing performed, or was allowed to perform, and give my assess- ment of their success. While it came as a surprise to many, the decision to sell Joleon Lescott to that shower down the road that had just been rele- gated was pretty good business but, in hindsight, the player that looked to be his replacement turned out to be anything but, right up until the deal to sell him. Pulis decided to play Chester as a full back, despite him having played at centre back for his entire career, and therein lay the problem. He struggled to adapt and Credited as his first signing, the deal to sign Callum McManaman lasted just one season, with the saving grace that we managed was probably little to do with Pulis. He was never given the oppor- to persuade Villa to buy him for an undisclosed fee that was re- tunity to repeat his hugely impressive form in Wigan’s 2013 cup portedly higher than the £8m we paid for him. run and it was clear that Pulis didn’t fancy him. A real disappoint- ment as I was really looking forward to seeing him.

Eyebrows were raised when Albion agreed to pay £3m for , a 33-year-old striker who’d managed just three goals in The other signing that window is one Pulis will want to take his season at . Rightly so as he managed just one for the credit for. had had four seasons of limited the Baggies, a penalty against Leicester, and was quietly shipped action at United, struggling with ulcerative colitis, off to Cardiff a year later for an undisclosed fee.

14. 15. Pulis broke Albion’s transfer record with the signing of Venezuelan Salomón Rondón from Zenit St Petersburg, ostensibly a replace- The first signing of summer 2016 was QPR’s , a player ment for the previous record signing, Brown Ideye.Rondón has long coveted by Tony Pulis. Impressive in short spells, Phillips divided opinion amongst Baggies fans over his three years at the has largely proved to be intensely frustrating given his undoubted Hawthorns and, as a main striker, the chief criticism is a lack of talent but his apparent inability to produce it consistently. goals with an average of just under one goal every three games. Having said that, Pulis teams have often left him with a lack of support and he has always worked hard, and when you don’t get too many chances each game, the misses do tend to stand out.

Pulis broke Albion’s transfer record for the second time with the The undoubted star signing of that window was . The signing of Nacer Chadli.Initially brilliant, scoring four goals in his fact that didn’t fancy the Ulsterman was Albion’s first five games, the Belgian was injured in the 4-0 defeat to Man gain as they picked him up for an undisclosed fee thought to City and never reproduced the same form despite playing virtually be around £6m. It transpires that they only bad thing about that every game from December. He missed almost all of the follow- deal was the £3m relegation release clause but even taking that ing season through injury. into account, it proved to be excellent business for the Baggies as he proved to be a mainstay in the back four. Probably the best centre back to play for Albion in the Premier League, he hasn’t been able to maintain those performances in the wake of the speculation linking him to a big money move. It may seem a high rating for a limited player, but for a fee that was reportedly about £3m, Nyom has provided excellent value for money. Able to play as either full back, the Cameroonian has always given his all and has put in some excellent performances, becoming something of a cult hero for sections of the Albion Anders Lindegaard was signed purely to have an experienced support. backup while Ben Foster was injured.He played just one match, the 3-0 defeat to Norwich in the League Cup, and was loaned to Preston the following January.

16. 17. Hal gets one point from me for that superb winner at South- From the moment he scored on his debut, Hegazi has been a ampton on New Year’s Eve 2016, but he’s otherwise been a very fans’ favourite and has been pretty much an ever-present in the disappointing signing, and not unsurprisingly so. Having been Albion side. While he cost Albion their first points of the season released by Reading, it was a panic signing as Pulis realised he against Stoke and is certainly not faultless, he has certainly offered was short of strikers, something he never subsequently addressed. value for money and his loan signing was made permanent in December.

As the first outfield player to represent England while at Albion Having seemed initially to be a decent replacement for Darren since Derek Statham, it may seem harsh to mark Livermore so Fletcher, Barry lost all respect from the fans in that trip to Barce- low, but while his performances last season were decent, he was lona and played his last game against Huddersfield in February. largely disappointing this season until he recovered his form un- der Darren Moore.

Being dubbed “one for the future” seemed somewhat incongruous To score 11 goals in a struggling season despite being largely for another record signing, but let’s hope he is. He has not been played out of position and dropped when on form is a remark- given too much opportunity to impress, but has not made the able return. One of the few successes of this sorry season. most of his short time on the pitch.

Bar a slight drop off in the latter days of Pardew, Gibbs has per- Probably difficult to blame Pulis for this one, but having been formed very well for Albion and was a snip at £7m. He may be bought and immediately loaned out to Werder Bremen, he has off in the summer but should certainly go down as one of Pulis’s done nothing but make the bench twice. better signings.

18. 19. AN ODE TO TCHOYI

by Glenn Hess

Sometimes a player comes to The pushed up and the stage was set. Hawthorns to play a wonderful cameo. Somen Tchoyi from Cam- Ishmael Miller back heeled to Jo- eroon was one such occasional ge- nas Olsson – who found himself in nius. Here is Glenn Hess’s Ode to unusual territory in the opposition’s Tchoyi and his afternoon on The final third – who swung in a fan- Toon. tastic cross to the far post. All it needed was the slightest of touch- Last game of the 2010-11 season es and the comeback would be and nought at stake as that (fill in complete. Who was there lurking your own word here) Pardew led at the far post? Somen Tchoyi. He his Newcastle team out to play the stooped low to claim his hat-trick mighty Baggies.By half time it was before going over to celebrate ex- 3-0 to the home team. A lot of our travagantly. I was in heaven: my supporters had decided to leave boy had shown his true self to all before Roy brought on my boy and sundry. Tchoyi. The rumours were that Roy had had enough of Somen who How on earth had we done this? had enjoyed a very mixed season, Did Somen Tchoyi really just score and was planning to sell him in a hat-trick away after the team had the summer window. fallen 3-0 behind? Had he really scored the perfect dream hat-trick? Yet, almost immediately, Tchoyi And it was all real---I wasn’t dream- raced through on goal and stroked ing. the ball past Tim Krul. Moments later, he was at it again finishing I remember Pre-Brexit Dave and I emphatically inside the box to having our hands shaken by jubi- make it 3-2. Could the impossi- lant Sunderland fans in the cen- ble become possible? Defenders tre of Newcastle --- I had lost my were thrown forward, the midfield voice.

20. 21. Worst tat from the club shop? a human sideways glacier snaking along pushing everyone in its way Dunno but I once fancied a de- to one side. It was awesome and Q&A cent umbrella. Found one, paid for scary. Oh, the days before segre- it, then the manager says to me, gation! Nick Grant interviewed “You know you can’t take it into the ground?” “Er, no” I replied, All-time Albion low? by Aidan Rose “Why didn’t you say so before I bought it?” Do we have to talk about the Ron Saunders era? Actually, the most Born on Christmas Day, 1951, Nick now lives near Wemb- Best Albion away strip? shameful, embarrassing, unforgive- ley Stadium which is handy for him once in a blue moon. able period for meas a Baggies No brainer. Cabbage and custard. fan has been this last season, es- Why the Baggies? game which is fun for just one pecially the demeaning, disastrous game a season. The Black Eagle or The Vine? Pardew episode which sealed our Mum and Dad were from Smeth- relegation, following on from Pulis’ wick. He was pretty scared of Worst away ground? The Vine for the food...divine. No awful regime. In a year when Cy- crowds and didn’t like taking me to better chicken tikka in the world! rille’s passing brought astonishing- games but mum had two younger Really hated Upton Park/The Bo- ly wide circles of goodwill towards brothers, an uncle and aunt, and leyn, West Ham’s horrible ground. Best ever game at The Hawthorns? the club we also became an utter cousins, who were Baggies-mad. Nasty racists too. [We hate the new laughing stock. Being a top team in those days one, Eds] Maybe the 4-4 against the great was obviously an attraction as well! Spurs team on Boxing Day 63. Most memorable away game? Jimmy Greaves got two, Cliff Jones First ever game? and Bobby Smith one each. John Well it wasn’t a league game, but Kaye, Chippy Clark, Mickey Fudge was away from the Hawthorns, and I am pretty sure it was a reserve and Don Howe for us! Mud, rain, it has tobe the FA Cup semi-final game in the old Central League end-to-end, breathless game. defeat to Ipswich at Highbury in on Xmas Day 1957 when I was 6. 1978. Not a happy memory ob- Not sure who it was against. Ches- Best visitors to The Hawthorns? viously but who can forget John terfield comes to mind for some Wile’s bloodied head bandage? reason! I can never forget the thousands of Everton fans who turned up for Kanu, Robson, or Robson-Kanu? Best away game? an end-of-season summery eve- ning match in 1964 and for some I think I saw ’s first I actually really like the modern reason all got into the Brummie. match in Baggies first team at Newcastle ground where away Then at half-time they marched Hawthorns. Hard as nails, very skill- fans sit above the rest of the along what was then a terrace ful, determined, obvious leader stadium and on a clear day you where the East Stand now is to get even at 16! can see for miles whilst also get- to the Smethwick End. It was like ting a bird’s eye view of the

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