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Boxing Day Scrooge at Chelsea FC Friday, December 05, 2008

Image via WikipediaSo much for the spirit of giving! Chelsea FC have allocated West Brom fans just 1,400 seats in a stadium with a capacity over 40,000 for the Boxing Day game. Given that Chelsea regularly struggle to sell out matches, it is astonishing that they would be so restrictive given WBA regularly travel with upwards of 3,500 fans to games.

Whilst I concede that Chelsea fans may wish to see their club enjoy a goal feast over Christmas, I'd be amazed if WBA ranked as a must-see game for most Chelsea fans used to dining out on Champions League football.

Labels: Chelsea F.C., WBA, West Bromwich Albion F.C.

posted by John Wilson @ 9:39 AM Permanent Link ,

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The greatest football match ever? Friday, October 17, 2008

Image via WikipediaWest Bromwich Albion go to Man Utd tomorrow with little hope of winning, but Hull have proved that sometimes Giants can fall in the Premier League.

It's been a long time since West Brom won at Old Trafford but one such win was the game below that still lives in the memory of many - even considered one of the best games ever by the Daily Mail, when West Brom pulled off an astonishing 3-5 win in the magical era of 1978. Ron Atkinson was West Brom Manager and Cyrille Regis and Laurie Cunningham were in devastating form, with Bryan Robson just emerging as a great player.

Labels: Manchester United F.C., Old Trafford, Premier League, Ron Atkinson, WBA, west brom, West Bromwich Albion F.C.

posted by John Wilson @ 9:58 PM Permanent Link ,

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WBA - Championship Winners 2008 Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Image via WikipediaLast Sunday was simply the best day I've ever had as a passionate fan of West Bromwich Albion, when the Club won its' first title in 88 years and its' first trophy in 40 years by winning the Coca-Cola Championship.

WBA were playing in front of a sell-out crowd at Loftus Road, QPR's home ground. Sadly I'd failed to get a ticket in the WBA section, but had been given two QPR season tickets for the game by a friend so that my youngest daughter and I could go along.

The Shepherds Bush neighbourhood bore witness to a party atmosphere before the game, given that West Brom had already secured promotion the previous Monday and the fans had decided to wear Superhero costumes to the game in honour of our leading goal scorer "Super Kev" Phillips.

Sitting amongst the QPR fans, my daughter was under strict instructions not to do anything to highlight she was an Albion fan, lest we annoy the home fans or get kicked out! This was a tall order, especially when our two goals went in. But at the end of the match after we had sealed the title with a 2-0 win, we peeled off our jumpers to reveal our true colours [WBA shirts] to join in the celebrations.

Evidently the Football League must have thought we would win the title, as the trophy was on hand and was presented to the team at the end of the match to our great delight. To their credit, the QPR fans took it in good grace and delayed their end of season lap of honour by 20 minutes.

Walking away from the ground, West Brom fans [Baggies] were beaming with joy and hugging each other. I was so elated to have been there and experience the occasion in the company of my daughter, which is a memory I will always treasure.