Quick viewing(Text Mode)

Baggie Shorts WEST BROMWICH ALBION LONDON SUPPORTERS CLUB ISSUE 18

Baggie Shorts WEST BROMWICH ALBION LONDON SUPPORTERS CLUB ISSUE 18

Baggie Shorts ALBION LONDON SUPPORTERS CLUB ISSUE 18

01 contents 03 09 19 View from Charlton Athletic An evening with the Chair Match Report Magic Johnson Steve Watts Sussex Baggies Ian Tinsley

05 11 21 A letter from Looking When legends the editors forward were made Glenn Hess Jon Want Jon Want

07 17 25 Seventy years Q&A with Managers watching the Albion Mike Moren Survey Mike Vass Aidan Rose Aidan Rose

Email us at: BaggieShorts@b�nternet.com @LondonBaggies We always appreciate submissions, from match West Bromwich Albion Supporters reports and photos to op-eds and think pieces. Club London Branch @LondonBaggies Cover images by Laurie Rampling taken at the match versus Bristol City on New Year’s Day 1979. W londonbaggies.com 01 Pereira tells Diangana that the latest Baggie Shorts will be out in �me for Christmas! Picture: Laurie Rampling 02 View from the Chair

Welcome everyone to the latest youth (Edwards and Ferguson) and edi�on of Baggie Shorts. ge�ng the best out of players like Bartley, Hal and Livermore. On a Without wishing to tempt fate we personal level, my new year wish in seem to be having a wonderful respect of the Albion is for Nathan season of what is at �mes breath- Ferguson to sign a new contract! taking and scin�lla�ng football. It has been many years since our play My only gripe about this season is has drawn admirers from across that because we are such an football. Whilst kept us in a�rac�ve team, our games are the , the simple fact regularly ge�ng regularly moved is that the football was awful at for TV. This is a double-edged sword �mes. because it does mean we can at least watch games if we can find a At the �me of wri�ng, following our pub showing it (and it’s not in win at that saw us conflict with European games) but leapfrog Leeds at the top of the I’m sure we would take many more table (again) and, more London fans (and fans generally) to importantly, establish 12-point gap the games if they were weekend with teams vying for third place. I’m kick-offs. I, along with many other especially looking forward to London Baggies, would love to get avenging our defeat to Leeds by to more games but midweek away bea�ng them on New Year’s Day. at Preston or Wigan is a big ask and I must give credit to the Albion’s ge�ng up for work the next day recruitment team for bringing in becomes challenging. Roll-on a few Romaine, Pereira, Furlong, Semi, more London and south-east Grady and Charlie in the summer games in the new year! and give thanks for Slaven’s belief in The branch is s�ll thriving with the

03 addi�on of new members; a very date has seen some issues to deal warm welcome to anyone who has with both personally and at work recently joined or re-joined. Special which has meant the regular thanks to all those who have branch mee�ngs have not taken assisted with driving up numbers place; I promise to do be�er in the and crea�ng a vital branch, pu�ng new year as my workload eases and in the hard yards (o�en other things get back on track. I unappreciated - but not by me!), hope you will join me at those organising events, travel, special future mee�ngs as the branch evenings and pu�ng together belongstoallofusanditistosome Baggie Shorts, maintaining our extent a collec�ve responsibility to social media presence and try to make it flourish in whatever generally trying to drag the branch small way we can - which may just upward and onward. To all of you, mean turning up for mee�ngs. and you know who you are, I say a big thank-you on behalf of both Finally, Merry Christmas and a myself and more importantly the happy new year to everyone; let’s whole branch. hope that for 2020, in the words of Yazz, the only way is up! Regre�ably for me, this season to

Steve Wa�s, Chair London Baggies TLIMS - The Lord Is My Shepherd

04 a letter from the editors Welcome to the happiest Baggie Shorts For me, Slaven is our best manager so far this season. A flawless ever and, as I men�oned in my last November followed by three wins from editorial, it is also �me to praise our four so far in December means we are directors for appoin�ng Mr. Bilić. top of the table and deservedly so. We So far, a�er 22 matches, he has have been playing deligh�ul football achieved a 64% win rate. Compare that showcased with a scin�lla�ng 5-1 win to Pardew who a�er a similar number against a good Swansea team. of games, 21, achieved a win rate of It’s not quite reached those heights in 14%! the last two games at Wigan and Blues, Sta�cally, in our history during my but Leeds’ capitula�on against Cardiff Albion suppor�ng life �me (68 years so saw us back on top of the league. far), no manager has got anywhere In this bulging Christmas issue there near those win figures. (Ossie comes are no turkeys but we do have so many closest at 55%). cracking ar�cles stuffed in including, in Now let’s look at the players Slaven has no par�cular order, the View from the brought to us for our delecta�on. Chair (thank you to Il Presidente), the quiz on the back page (how did you do - a genius, a game with the last issue?), Jon Want changer, who was about to go to Derby concludes his look at the summer on loan at the beginning of the season signings with the a�acking players, when our Slaven with the help of Julian Mike Vass reflects on following the Dicks made him an offer he couldn’t Baggies for 70 years while Aidan refuse. Mind you no one in their right interviews Mike Moren in the Q&A mind would refuse those two!!!! sec�on. There is also a match report Matheus Pereira - the best footballer I from our Sussex con�ngent, a report have seen in Albion colours for on our managers survey, a piece by Ian decades. A lot of fans think he’s the Tinsley on AJ’s visit to the banch and a best Albion player ever! He can run, look back to a very special December tackle, score penal�es and free kicks, some forty years ago. pass onto a 1p piece, in fact pre�y

05 much anything, and he’s tough as old Slaven is a huge hero in my house and boots. He is virtually signed up in his na�ve land Croa�a and was their although as I write this he’s officially na�onal team manager; enormously s�ll on loan. respected at his last English club, West Ham, and a talented enthusias�c Nathan Ferguson - a 19 year old and coach. he’s one of our own. Discovered by Slaven at the beginning of the season I can’t recall any coach before him who and has just grown into an immense has encouraged us to play with a huge talent. We need to sign him up pronto. smile on our face, made such canny subs�tu�ons at the right �me of the - cost £1.3m, peanuts in gameandIbelieveonecanseethelove today’s inflated foo�e world, and now and respect the players have for him. under Mr. Bilić has become a top And we, the fans, love him too (I think Premier League quality defender and he is the biggest reason for our success has formed a solid partnership with the so far) and I can see him guiding us to so-much-be�er-than-last-season Kyle Premier League success really soon. Bartley. Finally, a very Merry Christmas to all - cost believed to be members from everyone at the Baggie around £3-4m. Another brilliant signing Shorts team. Let’s hope 2020 is a who is an Albion fan and is so happy to successful year for Albion! be with us again a�er his tenure in our academy. He’s another one of our own Glenn Hess again.

The players are all pulling together under Bilić.Picture: Laurie Rampling 06 seventy years of watching the Albion Watching the Baggies for all those years must give the opportunity to savour the odd moment. Fortunately,Mike Vass manages to do so.

I suppose you could say it was predes�ned faltered badly in the final few games and that I would become a fan of our beloved our mid-week draw at Orient in the football club. I was born on 22nd February penul�mate match meant we could clinch 1941 and, on that same day, Albion promo�on with a victory. The game went defeated No�s County 5-0 in a war�me cup into the second half with the score line match having lost the away leg 4-0 the goalless and we were all aware that Bolton previous Saturday. were cruising to victory at Charlton. My first visit to , as far as I Cometh the hour cometh the man and can recall, was in April 1949 when my father ‘Bomber’ did the business with a cracking and I were in a crowd of 39,241 to witness goal. Nerves were on edge as a 7-1 victory over Bradford Park Avenue. sought an equaliser but we survived and Incidentally, both my parents were at the promo�on was ours! At the final whistle Hawthorns to see us beat Arsenal 3-1 in the the pitch was engulfed by hordes of Baggies FA Cup in 1937 when the ground fans and what a sight that was. We dashed a�endance record was set. back to the Hawthorns in �me to welcome the conquering heroes off the team coach. Of all my most memorable Albion games, The Vass celebra�ons that evening at our only one took place at the Hawthorns. That parents’ house consisted of a fish n’ chips was an FA Cup match against Newcastle supper washed down with a bo�le of United in February 1954 when 61,088 saw bubbly! us triumph 3-2 with scoring all three. Another highlight of the 1950s was In December 1978, the same four of us being at St Andrews for three consecu�ve journeyed up to . On the way wins over the Blues by scores of 5-3, 6-0 we stopped off for lunch and a pint (or and70 7-1! Eighteen goals in three away three!) at a pub at Altrincham. All very tasty games, six of those scored by but nothing compared with the feast which and five by Ronnie Allen. was to follow. I refer, of course, to the iconic 5-3 victory in which and Laurie Now to April 1976 at , Cunningham, in par�cular, tore the United Oldham for the final match of that season. defence to shreds. One almost felt sorry for The day started with me, brother Tony, and their defenders, especially le�-back our respec�ve wives forming part of a . Almost. yellow and green convoy heading up the M6. We had trailed Bolton Wanderers in Finally, the only match this century. In April the league for a number of weeks but they 2002 off we trooped to Bradford for 07 another vital game in a promo�on run in. coolest man in the , Igor the Great, The tension was unbearable and it began to to stroke the ball home. The noise that look like we would have to se�le for just the greeted the goal was unbelievable and it one point un�l a clumsy challenge on Bob became apparent just how many Albion fans Taylor—penalty! We had missed a number were in the ground (and not only in the away of spot kicks during the season and we enclosure). waited with bated breath to see who was to If pressed to select my most emo�onal take this one. A�er a long delay whilst Bob match of all, I would have to say the Oldham was receiving a�en�on up stepped the game would get my vote.

Mike and his brother, Tony, with the FA Cup at the summer fete at Aston Unity Cricket Club in 1954 08 MATCH The Sussex Baggies make their Hawthorns REPORT debut for 19/20

West Bromwich Albion 2 Charlton Athle�c 2 26th October 2019

A first home game of the season for Despite our best laid plans, Ali was me - I le� Suffolk at 8:30am to meet late. (18 year olds ehh?….). To be fair, my youngest, Ali, who was travelling it was not his fault – train delays up from Oxford. again! The forecast was for heavy rain (the Anyway, a�er wai�ng outside The Forest game was postponed), hence Hawthorns for an hour, we got the especially early departure, and ourselves se�led (Chicken Tikka we had treated ourselves the Terrine, Cod Loin and S�cky Toffee corporate �ckets in the Richardson Pudding - yum), laid our bets with Suite! Coral (I went for 3-1 Baggies) and talked through our hopes for the game. I was feeling pre�y confident. From memory, my main highlights from the game are as follows: made a ridiculous a�empt at a tackle a�er 2 minutes, yellow card. Nice one! Then we are celebra�ng a�er 10 minutes. Pereira collects the ball on the le�, some neat footwork and crosses for Phillips to smash into the roof of the net. Get in, 1-0! Charlton then took control of most of Ma� Phillips opens the scoring the first half. Fair play to them, I 09 thought they are neat and �dy and have a midfield that worked very hard at closing us down. They need a bit more quality in the final third, highlighted by a terrific double save by when really they should have scored. Early in the second half we should have scored with 2 terrific chances, Phillips & Furlong the culprits. Charlton equalise – unlucky for us. Bartley with a great shot-block only for the ball to loop up to the Charlton Sawyers challenges Oztumer in the air striker to head home, 1-1. HRK’s cameo did make a difference (Aus�n looks a shadow of the player The game was then turned on its he was) and he hits an absolute head. Another ridiculous challenge, beauty into the top corner 2-1! Hang this �me Ferguson. Straight red all on guys, we can win this. day long. The ref managed to send Diangana off by mistake, pu�ng this The final act, a so� penalty (and this right a�er what seemed like an age. is being generous to the ref) for Charlton in injury �me, 2-2. In summary, we look ok and it is enjoyable to watch. We need a be�er striker and I think a few of our spine of the team players weren’t quite on top of their game today, Ajayi, Sawyers and Aus�n. Will I invest in corporate �ckets again? Not sure, have to sleep on that one, but great to be back at The Shrine….. Pictures by

Robson-Kanu celebrates Albion’s second Laurie Rampling 10 Having covered Slaven Bilić’s summer signings in the defensive half of the pitch in the last issue, this �me, Jon Want takes a look at the the exci�ng addi�ons in a�ack having had a few months to form an opinion. Pictures by Laurie Rampling During the summer, it was well reported that Albion’s new head coach had a difficult job in reconstruc�ng a squad, with top of the agenda the need to replace the 45 goals scored by and in the last campaign. When the window closed, there was a sense of an�cipa�on of what the a�acking reinforcements could bring and, as Christmas approaches, there is a lot to be excited about. Born: 5 Jul 1989 (age 30), Hungerford Signed: 8 Aug 2019 from Fee: Undisclosed, believed to be about £4m

Charlie Aus�n started out in senior football with his hometown club, Hungerford, before switching to Poole Town. He spent pre-season in summer 2009 on trial at but Eddie Howe was unable to offer him a contract due to a transfer embargo and it wasn’t un�l January 2011, a�er Aus�n’s successful �me a Swindon, that Howe got his man when at .

In his first full season in Lancashire, Aus�n He moved to QPR the following summer scored 17 goals under Eddie Howe but and scored 20 goals in all compe��ons in started the 2012/13 season like a train his first season at Lo�us Road as the R’s scoring in eight successive appearances were promoted via the play-offs. In his and reaching 20 goals in just 17 games, a first season in the Premier League, he club record. scored 18 goals in 35 games earning him a Club Fromcall up to theTo England squad.Apps. Goals Swindon Town Oct 2009 Jan 2011 58+5 37 Burnley Jan 2011 Aug 2013 75+15 44 Queen’s Park Rangers Aug 2013 Jan 2016 82+7 47 Southampton Jan 2016 Aug 2019 40+41 20 255+68 148 11 With QPR back in the Championship, he He finished as Southampton’s joint top moved to Southampton in January 2016 Premier League goalscorer the following for a fee of around £4m. Aus�n scored on season with seven goals despite star�ng his debut for the Saints, but much of his just ten games, but he once again found �me at St Mary’s was blighted by injury. himself out of favour last season as he Hamstring and knee injuries kept him out started only nine �mes. for much of his first half season while a Much was expected of Aus�n and, a�er shoulder injury restricted him to 22 failing to impress early on, he has recently appearances in all compe��ons in flourished scoring six goals in five 2016/17 although he s�ll managed 9 subs�tute appearances. goals.

Born: 19 Apr 1998 (age 21), DR Congo Signed: 8 Aug 2019 from West Ham United Fee: Season long loan

While West Ham United’s 21-year-old winger, Grady Diangana, was born in the Democra�c Republic of Congo, “Diang” grew up in Woolwich in south east London and is an England interna�onal at U20 level. He joined West Ham at the age of 12 and signed his first professional contract in 2016. Diang made his first team debut in an EFL Cup �e against Macclesfield Town in September 2018 scoring twice in an 8-0 assist in the 4-2 win over Burnley at the win. in November. Later that month, he made his Premier Diangana has quickly become a firm League debut as a last minute subs�tute favourite at the Hawthorns with his in the match at home to Manchester sparkling performances on the wing United, star�ng his first game away to scoring five goals and registering six Leicester City in October. He ended up assists, leaving the Baggies faithful fearful making 17 Premier League appearances of a recall to the London Stadium in for the Hammers last season claiming an January.

Club From To Apps. Goals West Ham United Jul 2016 Present 10+11 2 10+11 2 12 Born: 29 Aug 1993 (age 24), Zagreb, Croa�a Signed: 5 Jul 2019 from Benfica Fee: Season long loan A�acking , Krovinović, was Bilić’s first signing and it was obvious that the new head coach was keen to sign his compatriot. The 24-year-old has made 18 starts for Benfica since joining two years ago, although he only made three league subs�tute appearances last season. The Croa�an U21 interna�onal made his professional debut for NK Zagreb in April of 2016. He went on to make 33 2013 at the age of just 17 and became a appearances scoring 5 goals earning his regular in the side the following season as move to Portugal’s biggest club the the club won promo�on back to the following summer. Croa�an top flight ul�mately moving to Portugal in the summer of 2015. A�er beginning the season as the star�ng number ten, Krovinović has It wasn’t un�l his second season in found himself on the bench in recent Portugal that Krovinović established weeks but is clearly a quality footballer himself at Rio Ave under new coach, and an important part of the squad. Capucho, when he joined in the summer Club From To Apps. Goals NK Zagreb Dec 2012 Aug 2015 73+5 13 Rio Ave Aug 2015 Jul 2017 38+18 7 Benfica Jul 2017 Present 18+10 2 129+33 22

Born: 5 May 1996 (age 23), Belo Horizonte Signed: 8 Aug 2019 from Spor�ng CP Fee: Season long loan

Matheus Pereira was born in Belo Spor�ng in a Portuguese Cup match away Horizonte and, having played in youth to Vilafranquense later the same month. teams for local club, Trafaria, he moved Pereira spent the 2017/18 season on loan into the youth system at Spor�ng Clube at Chaves in the Portuguese top flight. de Portugal at the age of 14. Playing as a right-winger, he scored 8 He made his senior debut for the Leões in �mes in 30 appearances as Chaves just a Europa League �e at Beşiktaş in October missed out on European qualifica�on, 2015 and scored his first two goals for finishing in 6th place.

13 The following season, he moved on loan established himself as a star in Bilić’s team again, this �me to German side, with 5 goals and a remarkable 14 assists. Nürnberg, who had just been promoted With a permanent deal reportedly back to the Bundesliga. agreed, he looks to be a steal at a total of He wasn’t quite as successful in terms of £9m including the loan fee already paid, goals, scoring just three in his 21 games, and one of the best pieces of business that including one against Bayern Munich to the club has done in recent years. earn a draw, but he showed his flexibility He is widely regarded as one of the stars in playing on both sides and centrally of the Championship, and by many as the behind the striker, and was voted “Rookie best player in the division. of the Year” in a struggling side that were ul�mately relegated at the end of the There is certainly a clamour amongst season. Baggies fans to get the deal sealed in January, although I’m not sure that is There is no doubt that Pereira is the best strictly necessary given the legal of Albion’s summer signings and has soon agreements already in place.

Club From To Apps. Goals Spor�ng CP Oct 2015 Present 14+13 6 Chaves (loan) Jul 2017 Jun 2018 26+4 8 1.FC Nürnberg (loan) Jul 2018 Jun 2019 18+3 3 58+20 17 14 Born: 31 Jan 1998 (age 21), Waltham Forest Signed: 8 Aug 2019 from Benfica Fee: Season long loan Chris Willock was born in Waltham Forest together for the B side on three occasions and joined the Arsenal academy at the last season. age of five. He appeared in a pre-season He has appeared for England at all age friendly at the age of 16 and made two groups from U16 to U20 and was named subs�tute appearances for the Gunners in in the Team of the Tournament for the the EFL Cup in 2015. He eventually U17 European Championships in 2015. moved to Portuguese champions, Benfica, in June 2017. Chris is one of three footballing brothers - younger brother, Joe (20), has been a To date, he is yet to appear in the first regular member of the first team squad at team for the Águias but has been a Arsenal while elder brother Ma�y (23) is regular in the Benfica B team that plays in at Gillingham. the Portuguese second �er scoring and has scored 14 goals in 64 appearances Although yet to be included in the first over two seasons. team squad, Willock has impressed with the PL2 side. He has some tough He joins his Benfica teammate, Filip compe��on to get past, however. Krovinović, who is also on loan from the Portuguese giants – they actually played

Club From To Apps. Goals Arsenal Jul 2015 Jul 2017 0+2 0 Benfica Jul 2017 Present 0 0 0+2 0 15 Born: 31 Jan 1994 (age 25), Copenhagen Signed: 19 Jul 2019 from Cardiff City Fee: Undisclosed, believed to be abt. £8m

Born in Copenhagen, Zohore made his professional debut for FC Copenhagen in March 2010 at the age of just 16 becoming the youngest ever player to play in the Danish Superliga, making his Champions League debut that October as a subs�tute at the . Ten days later became the second youngest player to score in the Danish Superliga. club’s top scorer and earning him the A�er an unsuccessful spell with Cardiff City Young Player of the Year Fioren�na, much of which was spent on award. loan in Scandinavia, he moved back to He scored nine goals in City’s promo�on Denmark in February 2015 to join season but, with Warnock favouring just Odense. A�er a run of seven goals in nine one up front in the Premier League, he appearances in the autumn of 2015, found opportuni�es limited and started Cardiff City were interested butas the just seven games last season, scoring Welsh club were banned from signing twice. permanent players at that �me, Vincent KenZo has not really set the Hawthorns Tan used his Belgian club, KV Kortrijk, as a alight just yet but he is quick, works hard, vehicle to complete an ini�al loan deal and has at least proved he can take a that was made permanent in 2016. penalty. His goalscoring record of one It wasn’t un�l took over goal every 225 minutes for Cardiff at that the Dane saw regular football at Championship level is not too shabby so he Cardiff. He ended up with 12 goals from may come good in �me, although with the 25 starts in the 2016/17 campaign, his form of Robson-Kanu and Aus�n, he may best season to date, ending up as the find opportuni�es limited. Club From To Apps. Goals FC Copenhagen Jul 2010 Jan 2012 6+17 1 Fioren�na Jan 2012 Feb 2015 0 0 Bröndby IF (loan) Aug 2013 Jun 2014 11+15 5 FC Göteborg (loan) Aug 2014 Dec 2014 1+5 3 Odense BK Feb 2015 Jan 2016 19+10 10 KV Kortrijk Jan 2016 Jul 2016 0 0 Cardiff City (loan) Feb 2016 Jun 2016 18+10 2 Cardiff City Jul 2016 Jul 2019 65+24 22 104+80 43 16 Q & A Aidan Rose interviews Mike Moren

Our intrepid traveller, Mike Moren looks back at years of pain and, some�mes, pleasure

Why The Baggies? Favourite club to play against?

As I lay in my pram as a new-born baby, It has to be Manchester United as three I could hear the roar from The of my best all �me games have been Hawthorns less than a mile from our against United. The 6-3 in 1968, just two front door. My dad, grandfather and days a�er we reached the Cup Final, great grandfather were all regulars. The what a �me to be alive! The 5-3 in 1978, great “WG” Richardson lived directly the memories of Cyrille and Laurie that opposite us. There wasn’t really any day will live for ever. And the 2-1 at Old choice to be made! Trafford in 2013, at last we were again compe�ng with the best. First ever game? Best away ground? A special treat for my birthday, 23rd January 1965. We beat Spurs 2-0, Bobby , undoubtedly. It was my first Cram and “Chippy” Clark on the away ground, on that ’68 cup run and scoresheet. I hardly missed a home quite honestly the noise from the Kop game over the next nine years, before terrified me that night. I’ve been back embarking on a “long distance love many �mes and the atmosphere is affair” which has now lasted a further always fantas�c. And it’s been a decent forty-five years. hun�ng ground in recent seasons. First hero and why? Lucky escape on the road?

Centre forward cum defender, John Like all Baggies that day I jumped out of Kaye. A real “warrior hero” member of my seat as Berahino knocked in the the ’68 FA Cup winning team. winner for that first win at Old Trafford 17 in thirty-four years. The only problem underachievement. I was delighted to was my seat was in the Manchester watch him back on the touch line in that United directors’ box! To explain, my cameo role against Spurs at Wembley a employer at the �me was United’s couple of years ago. principal sponsor; there were advantages to suppor�ng one of the Lowest ever point? “less glamorous clubs” when it came to Bristol Rovers at Twerton Park in 1991. I’d �cket alloca�on. I wasn’t evicted, in lived in Bristol for four years and had many fact the United directors were friends who were Rovers fans. They had (generally) simply magnanimous given nothing to play for, but we simply didn’t the circumstances. fight for our survival. An u�erly miserable Favourite player? experience.

That’s very difficult because so many Best away journey? have lit up a cold, wet Saturday. The I couldn’t choose between Wembley ’68 King, Laurie, Big Dave all spring to mind and promo�on at Oldham for sheer but on reflec�on, it has to be Cyrille. excitement on the road, but a non-football We all know about his on-field trip to China with The Albion Founda�on contribu�on, but he was also a probably wins overall. Ge�ng to know colossus off the field too. Our lives Brendan Batson, my room mate for the were significantly diminished with his trip, was an absolute privilege. What a departure. fantas�c ambassador he is for the club and Favourite manager? football in general. I’m always so proud to be a Baggie and The Albion Founda�on is for his sheer one of the main reasons; there’s so much determina�on to drag us all out of the amazing work done in the community and wilderness a�er so many years of beyond. An ex-Baggie to have a drink with?

It would have been an honour to have bought Sir a drink. What must it have been like? One day cleaning windows around the town to make ends meet, the next day running out for England at Wembley. Plus, the fame and fortune

that ul�mately followed. What a life story.

nLau w,2017) Two, League in 0 oetyCt (6 City 10.

th

.Gro tahn(ed lcbr,Ar19)9 ar hmsn( omFrs,Ot1984) Oct Forest, No�m (v Thompson Garry 9. 1993) Apr Blackburn, v (Leeds Strachan Gordon 8.

odn(linvSasa e 06 .£.5 .KvnKea NwateUie,1996) United, (Newcastle Keegan Kevin 7. £1.25m 6. 2016) Dec Swansea, v (Albion Rondón

.Fu 20,20,20,21)5 ucnFruo EetnvBlo,Dc19)adSlmn Salomón and 1997) Dec Bolton, v (Everton Ferguson Duncan 5. 2010) 2008, 2004, (2002, Four 4. .eg nby2 l unrSlkæ .Sae ii Co�,Sp2007) Sep (Croa�a, Bilić Slaven 3. Solskjær Gunnar Ole 2. Gnabry 1.Serge

uzAnswers: Quiz 18 an evening with Magic Johnson Ian Tinsley reports on Andy Johnson’s visit to the London Baggies Pictures by Laurie Rampling A good turnout of London Baggies running down, AJ forced a move to the gathered at The Courtyard, close to to Albion for a bargain £200,000 in 2001. Hoxton Square, to hear the memories of The team was managed by Gary Megson Andrew James Johnson. whose abrasive style seemed to suit AJ AJ was born in Bristol in 1974 and and the manager assembled a close knit excelled in the disciplines of both group of players who would be football and rugby in his forma�ve years successful on the pitch and enjoyed and went on to explain he had to make a themselves equally off it. decision on which one to follow. Despite AJ gave an insight of their off the field loving the contact of the world of rugby, ac�vi�es when the team went on a pre- football won the day. season trip to Portugal where they had A�er being spo�ed by Norwich City, AJ li�le ‘houses’, rather than hotel rooms. joined under the then YTS scheme and He ended up sharing accommoda�on signed on professional terms in 1990. with ; one night they Amazingly, he recalled regularly played Scrabble and Jono got excited travelling from his home town of Bristol with spelling 'F...U...G', he thought he to London then ge�ng on the tube to was pu�ng down 'THUG'. That was the Street and another train to same trip where Jono reckoned there Norwich, all at the ripe old age of 16, were two suns - one in England, one quite impressive considering he travelled abroad, because it was so hot. alone. Subsequent details of excessive drinking A�er five fairly produc�ve years, a fracas and returning to camp in the early hours with a local taxi driver resulted in him seemed to be the norm. It certainly being frozen out by then manager Mike didn’t affect performances on the pitch Walker and No�ngham Forest tabled a with Megson being a tough taskmaster. £2.2 million bid and a new challenge AJ went on to recall twin promo�ons beckoned in the Midlands. Despite including details of the Bradford City making 119 appearances in four away game in April 2002 when Igor seasons, the arrival of marked scored a last minute penalty and the a frustra�ng period and with his contract following game against Crystal Palace

19 when Megson gathered all the players families in the dressing room resul�ng in a 2-0 win and subsequent promo�on a�er overhauling a 10 point gap with Wolves. AJ spoke fondly of the Great Escape season under and the last match against Portsmouth in 2005. The infamous match everyone had wanted to hear was AJ’s par�cipa�on in the Ba�le of on 16th March cheekbone and seriously damaged his 2003. eye socket with a swinging elbow. The two teams then scuffled on the pitch; in There was ill feeling between the two the mêlée, Suffo was sent off for head- managers, Meggo and Colin. A�er nine bu�ng Derek McInnes. This reduced minutes, United's keeper, Simon Tracey, United to eight men. was sent off for handling the ball outside the penalty area and denying Albion an In the 77th minute, WBA added a third obvious goalscoring opportunity. goal, Sco� Dobie tapping in from short range. Two minutes later, Michael Brown The match turned ugly in the 65th limped off for United, and Robert minute, when George Santos whom Ullathorne went off injured in the 82nd United had just brought on seconds minute, reducing them to six men. The earlier, was sent off for a high and poorly referee, Eddie Wolstenholme, then �med two-footed lunging tackle on AJ. abandoned the match with West Brom When AJ was playing for Forest the leading 3–0. A�er the game Gary previous season, he had fractured Santos' Megson made it clear Albion would not play another game and the Baggies were awarded the 3 points. AJ served Albion for five seasons making 131 appearances and scoring 7 goals before being transferred to Leicester then Barnsley before ending his career in the lower leagues playing for King’s Lynn. His club form was rewarded with 15 Wales Caps. A�er leaving the football world, AJ qualified as an electrician and now earns a living in fire preven�on. As a quirk of fate, Sheffield United are one of his customers 20 When legends were made Jon Want looks back at a remarkable month in Albion’s history - December 1978 Any Albion fan lucky enough to be a but of football fans up and down the regular at the Hawthorns in the late country with their swashbuckling style of seven�es will wax lyrical about the great a�acking football. The peak of that �me, team under “Big Ron” Atkinson that got perhaps the period when those players closer than any Baggies side since Vic earned their legendary status, was the Buckingham’s “Team of the Century” to month of December 1978 which started li�ing the English football’s biggest prize. with a major statement of the European Moreover, the players in that side will also stage, affirmed their superiority in the easily roll off the tongue of any proud Black Country and ended with memorable Baggie who never got to see them play. victories at the homes of two of English The Three Degrees, Wile and Robertson, football’s biggest names. the two Browns, Robson, Cantello, At the start of December, Albion were in Statham, Johnston et al, all Albion legends 3rd place in Division One, six points adri� to be remembered by the Hawthorns of leaders, Liverpool, albeit with a game in faithful for years to come. hand, having drawn 1-1 at home to Aston Ul�mately, however, unlike Buckingham’s Villa in their last game of November in team, Atkinson’s legends didn’t win a front of more than 35,000 fans. A few trophy but they did capture the hearts of days before that game, they had earned a not just the faithful in the Black Country, 1-1 draw away to Valencia in the UEFA

Tony Brown opens the scoring against Valencia Picture: Laurie Rampling 21 World Cup with Argen�na the previous summer, and West German legend, Rainer Bonhof, and would go on to win the Cup Winners’ Cup the following season, so it was a sign of how good Albion were that they were reduced to such tac�cs. Bomber Brown sealed the victory with a second goal with 10 minutes le� to round off a dominant display from the men in blue and white. The second game of this memorable month was a their only home league game Ally Robertson ba�les with Mario Kempes of December, the visit of Middlesbrough. Picture: Laurie Rampling One back story didn’t end up taking centre Cup, a match that had first draw Real stage as David Mills, a transfer target for ’s a�en�on to the player that who would ul�mately prove became known in Spain asLa Perla Negra, to be the UK’s first ever half million pound . signing when he moved to the Hawthorns With their trip to second-placed Everton, in January 1979, was ruled out of the s�ll unbeaten a�er 17 league games, on match through injury. Atkinson had only 2nd December the first match to be a turned to Mills a�er having a £400,000 bid vic�m of the harsh winter about to for Charlie George turned down by Derby devastate the football programme, the County. Baggies’ first game of December was the In the end, it turned out to be a fairly drab return leg at the Hawthorns, surely the affair, par�cularly when compared with best European night at the Shrine (so far). the game three days earlier, but the result Albion had deserved to come away from was the same as goals from Cyrille Regis the Mestalla with victory in the first leg and earned the Baggies a and there was an air of confidence in the well-deserved 2-0 victory. team that persisted into the second leg, only enhanced by the early lead thanks to a fourth minute penalty converted by Tony Brown. Such was the Baggies’ superiority that the Spanish side were reduced to an extreme physical approach to break up Albion’s slick football. Remember that this Valencia team included players such as Mario Kempes, fresh from winning the Ally Brown gets above Boro’s John Craggs Picture: Laurie Rampling 22 A week later, Atkinson’s team faced the and the Baggies travelled to first of three successive away games, a trip on Boxing Day to take on Arsenal at to Molineux. It may have been a Black Highbury. As the Albion players enjoyed Country Derby but, with Albion an early Christmas break on the 23rd, the challenging at the top of the table and Gunners had moved into fourth spot with Wolves in the bo�om three, it was not a thumping 5-0 win at , expected to be much of a contest. And so level on points with the Baggies albeit it proved. having played two games more. The hosts ba�led bravely but Albion’s Atkinson’s team may have been fresher class shone through. They opened the from their extra break as they started like scoring when Brendan Batson crossed for a train with two goals inside the opening Bryan Robson - his shot was parried by six minutes at Highbury. The opener was Paul Bradshaw but Ally Brown was on a fantas�c team goal with eight different hand to poke home the rebound. Shortly players involved in the build up finally a�er half �me, his namesake, Tony, made finished by Bryan Robson as he fired home it 2-0 with an arrow-like shot from 25 Tony Brown’s pass. The second couldn’t yards to silence the home fans. Ally have been more different - an agricultural Brown got his second to round of the clearance by found Ally Brown scoring with a few minutes le� as the running through on goal and he lobbed Baggies moved to within four points of who had found himself well Liverpool with two games in hand. out of his ground. With the Hawthorns pitch frozen on the The visitors dominated much of the first Saturday before Christmas, their home half and came close to adding to their match with Southampton was called off lead. A shot by Robson was touched by

Cyrille Regis gets past Willie Young at Highbury Picture: Laurie Rampling 23 demonstrated the quali�es of that great side. In the days when televised football was s�ll the excep�on, that match more than any other brought that great team to the a�en�on of the football-suppor�ng public community throughout the country. As the years have gone by, the Cyrille Regis and United’s Mar�n Buchan ability to look back at that game has at Old Trafford probably done more than anything to Picture: Laurie Rampling foster the legendary status that those players are now afforded by Albion fans. Jennings onto the bar with the ball bouncing down somewhere close to being But when you look at the month as a over the line, while Cunningham had a whole, it was an incredible set of results. goal disallowed for a mystery foul. Five wins from five games in December, and Albion even won the two postponed The second half proved to be a different games when they were eventually played encounter as Arsenal dominated while in April. Moreover, on New Year’s Day Albion proved that they could defend 1979, the Baggies’ encounter with Bristol when needed. Wile and Robertson were City was the only Division One match to outstanding as the hosts tried everything survive the weather and their 3-1 victory to get back into the game, and were moved them level on points with rewarded only by a penalty in Liverpool at the top of the table. the 55th minute. Ul�mately, of course, Albion fell short of The Baggies held on to take both points the ul�mate prize as the weather, and and, with Liverpool also winning, the gap replays in all three rounds of the FA Cup, remained four points. The Reds’ victory meant that they were le� with fourteen had come at Old Trafford, and that was league games to play in April and May. A Albion’s next des�na�on two days later. run of six games without a win in April That par�cular match needs no ul�mately cost them. introduc�on, of course, as the TV cameras In December 1978, however, they were recorded what was surely the game of the unstoppable. Those five wins, and season and one of the most memorable especially the victories over Valencia, Albion games of all �me. Coming from 1-0 Arsenal and Manchester United, are the and 3-2 down, the Baggies, of course, won stuff of legend. That team may not have 5-3 with some scin�lla�ng football and won any trophies, but that season, and memorable goals from Cantello, Regis and that month in par�cular, made legends of Cunningham in par�cular. It is the one those players in the eyes of Albion fans. match that everyone remembers that

24 survey Albion Managers of the Millennium Aidan Rose reports on our survey of this millennium’s managers

Believe it or not, Albion have had 22 managers or head coaches in the first few years of this millennium and that includes Meggo and the late great Cyrille twice. We had the only Spaniard to get lost in the Bull Ring, added to that we’ve had 13 Englishmen, four Scots, one Italian, a bloke from Wales, a Jamaican and someone born in Yugoslavia. We decided to poll London Baggies regarding their views on the best and worst managers since 1 January 2000. Since we were spoilt for choice we decides to call a cut-off of twenty games to make the choices manageable and to ensure that Pardew was in the frame. As Mao Zedong, or was it Zhou Enlai, who famously said it was too early to judge the impact of the French Revolu�on so we will leave Slaven for another day. Anyway it would be a cheap crowd pleasing op�on because we all know he hates the Villa. So we came up with a list of ten managers/coaches and asked members to nominate their choice Albion’s Best Manager of this Millennium

Roy Hodgson 61%

Gary Megson 28%

Tony Mowbray 11%

25 of the best and worst. We got a fabulous response from 71 members. Thanks you to all of you. The overall verdicts were pre�y obvious – we will come to them shortly. Before that let’s have a look at a few odd choices. We can’t men�on respondents’ names as it is all anonymous but somebody voted Pulis as our best manager! Rest assured it wasn’t Brexit Dave – we have to put his responses in manually – the only excep�on to our anonymity rule. Regarding our best manager, Captain Marvel got a meagre one vote. Reassuringly, Pardew got no votes, I, for one, was eternally grateful for ending the season with great wins on the road at The Theatre of Dreams and Gallowgate and at home to Spurs but it only got him four votes. He even got one vote as the worst manager which is surely unfair given the intense compe��on for that badge of dishonour. That apart, all the good guys escaped London Baggie vitriol. No bad votes for Meggo, Robbo, Mogga, Roy, or . So, to keep it simple, the charts show the best and worst three managers. It comes as no surprise that ran away with the winner’s trophy. On the other side of the equa�on vo�ng was a li�le more complex. Surprisingly, Alan Irvine came very close to tying with Pulis but Pardew had a clear majority. Correctly so in my opinion as he was an an awful manager and added to that he was a thoroughly unpleasant man. So, let’s salute Uncle Roy and London Baggies for the massive Pardew vote. Pictures by Laurie Rampling Albion’s Worst Manager of this Millennium

Alan Pardew 59%

Tony Pulis 23%

Alan Irvine 21%

26 baggie shorts quiz By Adam Hess 1. BagtheBaggie:Iwasbornonthe have scored a hat trick of headers in 14th July 1995 in Stu�gart. the Premier League? a. I play right wing. 6. How much did we spend on Kevin b. I moved to England in 2011 and Kilbane when we broke our transfer moved to the Albion on loan record for the first �me in 18 years from Arsenal. in 1997? c. My solitary appearance for the 7. Who was the last English manager Albion was a subs�tute against (excluding caretakers) to lead a Chelsea in 2015. team to a top two finish in the Premier League? d. Inowplayformycountryand Bayern Munich. 8. Who is the only player born before 1960 to have scored a Premier 2. Who is the only manager to have League hat trick? beaten Mourinho and Guardiola in the same week? 9. Who was the last Baggie to score a hat-trick in the old Division One (i.e 3. Who was the last manager to beat pre-Premier League)? England in a major championship qualifier at Wembley? 10. Which club have only once finished in the top six of any of England’s top 4. How many �mes have Albion been four divisions since 1970 despite promoted to the Premier League? being a league club the en�re �me? 5. Who are the only two players to

Answers on page 18

27

Top View