West Bromwich Albion

It seems like ages ago that I started my journey on the glory hunt.  It was in fact way back on 15th August when Morpeth Town took on Dunston UTS in the extra pre-lim round of the FA cup.

Since that date I have followed Dunston, Spennymoor, AFC Telford United, Bristol City and West Ham United.  Now this coming weekend we are at the Quarter final stages and my new glory hunt team is the conquerors of West Ham in the last round West Bromwich Albion, WBA, the Baggies.


This weekend sees the Baggies take on the Villains in a all premier league, Midlands derby.  It is also a repeat of Tuesday nights game at Villa Park where Aston Villa ran out 2-1 winners courtesy of a last minute Christian Benteke penalty.

Benteke puts away last minute penalty on Tuesday night.

After a fantastic win in the last round against West ham West Brom will be hoping to raise their game again and get one over on their bitter rivals, the result in midweek will add a little spice to the proceedings and even though the game ended in  a defeat, I am sure that Tony Pulis and his boys will be fully focused about getting to the last four of the competition and the opportunity of a Wembley appearance.

Pulis looking to progress to the Semi Finals.

The 5 times cup winners haven't been in the cup final since 1968.  On that occasion they lifted the trophy thanks to an extra time goal scored by club legend and former fantasy football regular Jeff Astle.  The team they defeated on that day were Everton, who with a team consisting of such household names as Ball, Kendall, Harvey, Joe Royle and world cup winning full back Ray Wilson, must have been big favourites on the day.

The Three Amigos.  Ball, Harvey and Kendall.

Tim Sherwood looks to be injecting a new lease of life into he's relegation troubled team and maybe after Tuesday nights victory a corner may have been turned in the villains so far pretty poor season. Hopefully for the Baggies though the premier league win was just a blip and the Albion can bounce straight back and Tuesday night's result will be a long forgotten memory as they take their place in the next round.

Is Sherwood turning a corner at Villa?

It is obviously going to be a very close game Saturday teatime and I wouldn't be surprised if this one went to a replay.  It is really a hard one to call but if the Baggies were to get them back to the Hawthorns I would have them as favourites.

When I first started to get into football at the end of the seventies West Brom where right up there challenging Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at the top of the first division, and in 1978 it was a 2-0 win against Nottingham Forest who were going for the treble that booked the Baggies place into the semi finals of the cup year.  West Brom's team that day had the likes of Tony Godden, John Wile, Alistair Robertson, Ally Brown and Tony Brown.  Forest had Shilton, Woodcock, O'Neil, Withe, Gemmill and John Robertson in their ranks but a goal in each half from Mick Martin and Cyrille Regis was enough to put the favourites out and guarantee the Albion a Semi Final showdown with Ipswich Town who went on to win the trophy that year beating Arsenal in the final.

Wow, Messrs Martin, Robson, Atkinson and Ally Brown.

http://youtu.be/KQjEIfq1fxo  Fa Cup Qtr Final West Bromwich Albion v Nottingham Forest 1978.



The Baggies would love to repeat this feat on Saturday against Aston Villa, on that day it was a goal from an Irish midfielder and an England International striker that put them through.  I wonder if on Saturday it might be the same scoreline with  perhaps Chris Brunt and Saido Berahino getting the goals.

Does Berahino the key man on Saturday.

Anyway what ever the outcome I am hoping for an entertaining game and the eventual winners to be the boys in blue and white stripes.

Up the Albion!!

Boing Boing you Baggies!!