Congratulations Baggies!

[Kevin Farnell]

Congratulations to West Bromwich Albion on their promotion to the Premier League

With the Baggies now up and Wolves doing well, it just needs Aston Villa to survive for the West Midlands to have a good presence in the Premier League next season.

Kevin

 

[richard winterbourn]

Congratulations indeed, but what a nailbiter of a night it was, fortunes changing by the minute... I've been a Baggies fan all my life, tracing my support back to the days of Ronnie Allen, Ray Barlow, Derek Kevan et al so, of course, i am delighted. And if Villa stay up, three local derbies as well....
But i am going to caution my enthusiasm with the stark reality of what life in the top flight is going to be like. Wolves have done well, the Villa not so. So for the Albion to survive in the cauldron of the world's top football league is going to be a big ask indeed.
Fingers and toes crossed, I wish them well

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Congratulations indeed, but what a nailbiter of a night it was, fortunes changing by the minute... I've been a Baggies fan all my life, tracing my support back to the days of Ronnie Allen, Ray Barlow, Derek Kevan et al so, of course, i am delighted. And if Villa stay up, three local derbies as well....
But i am going to caution my enthusiasm with the stark reality of what life in the top flight is going to be like. Wolves have done well, the Villa not so. So for the Albion to survive in the cauldron of the world's top football league is going to be a big ask indeed.
Fingers and toes crossed, I wish them well

Yes, many congratulations.

Ronnie Allen, Ray Barlow - names from my childhood. The 1954 FACup Final was the first one I saw live on television, contested of course by West Brom, as I always think of them, and Preston North End, both established First Division clubs in those days. My folks had purchased their first telly only a few weeks beforehand - a 12 inch GEC model with a huge magnifying glass strapped to the front of the screen that enhanced the format to 14 inches. In those days a 17 inch tv was considered a huge screen. Pictures were in black and white of course.

West Brom beat Preston North End 3-2 with a very late goal from their outside-right Frank Griffin. Some months ago I watched the entire match again on YouTube. It was a recording of the BBC production with commentary by the legendary Kenneth Wolstenholme whose style probably would not suit today's audience (incidentally, the full 1953 final - the 'Matthews Final' - is also available on YouTube again with KW commentating). Football was much simpler then it seemed with mainly one type of team set-up: five forwards, three half backs and two full backs plus the keeper.

Preston had the great Tom Finney (later Sir Tom) in their side, and Tommy Docherty ('The Doc').

Being a Baggies fan you will know all this of course. Incidentally, when I was a kid and intensely interested in football West Brom seemed to be known as the Throstles - I think because of the bird on the club badge. Is the term 'Baggies' a relatively new sobriquet, perhaps introduced sometime since my early football days of the 1950s? What is its origin?

 

[rollo]

There are several versions of the nickname 'baggies'.

Two most common versions are that in the distant past the turnstile operators would walk around the edge of the pitch carrying the takings in money bags no doubt having taking a little commission and were known as the bag men.

Secondly there's a tale that West Brom fans walked to Villa park to see Albion play Villa having finished their Saturday morning shifts in the foundries wearing baggy trousers to protect them from the heat and when the home fans saw them shouted here come the baggie men.

No idea if either is true but nice tales either way and there's other versions, Albion always play decent football.

Meanwhile my team the blue and white one in Brum did their best to achieve relegation last night from a "safe position " hopeless.

 

[richard winterbourn]

Rollo, who knows if either of those explanations are true. But what it does do is highlight the deep cultural history of Birmingham and the Black Country and its love for sport, whether it be football or cricket, or even whippet and greyhound racing or,indeed, competitive rat catching with the wonderful Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

Incidentally, my late father excelled at both football and cricket and he once told me that be played for, i think, King's Heath Boys, in the English Schools Competition before a crowd of 27,000 at St Andrew's....

 

[rollo]

Rollo, who knows if either of those explanations are true. But what it does do is highlight the deep cultural history of Birmingham and the Black Country and its love for sport, whether it be football or cricket, or even whippet and greyhound racing or,indeed, competitive rat catching with the wonderful Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

Incidentally, my late father excelled at both football and cricket and he once told me that be played for, i think, King's Heath Boys, in the English Schools Competition before a crowd of 27,000 at St Andrew's....

Kindererd spirits here Richard.

Sport round here has never reached its potential maybe Warwickshire County Cricket Club excepted.

My dad played for the Blues in the late 1940s l have his contract at home and his medals from playing for Birmingham School's and county but obviously none for playing for Blues for two years and ended up playing in the Birmingham works League for "pocket money "

Anyway I obviously had no choice to end up as a bluenose.

P.S. our dog is a rescue and according to the RSPCA a staffy whippet cross make of that what you will? Seems more pit bull at times.

 

[JENNYJET]

My Staffie, my dear Peggy just loves going after rats given my locale being semi rural. It takes all my energy to keep control as she is a determined lady and keeping mindful of the Dangerous Dogs Act!

 

[Ray Finkle]

Congratulations Baggies, really pleased they got it across the line

I think Villa have done enough to stay up.

Not even going to mention my lot

@JENNYJET Beautiful picture of Peggy

 

[JENNYJET]

Thank you Sir Raymond, she is my good friend. And my congratulations also go to West Bromwich Albion and good luck to the Villa, they ought to be in the Premier with the women's team.

 

[Scottie Dog]

Not sports but congratulations on a lovely picture of Peggy.