Tonight??? 🤞🤞🤞

Go on Stu, can I twist your arm on one?

Home or Away?

Just a joke re: Sky Sports. They always say it as the teams walk out and they go adverts (trying to add excitement). 'Next it's Crawley vs Scunthorpe...AND IT'S LIVE!'

I'm getting mixed up with that then. I'm sure Andrews scored a belting daisycutter on the volley. Must've been another game.

I think we won 3-1 away. It was under K***

'You know how every time you get on the bus, there's a nutter? Well I got on the bus this morning and there wasn't one. So I had to do it.'

In fairness, I don't mind cyclists riding abreast (even 3 abreast at times, although HC says 2) as I reckon it's easier to overtake that way.

Well bugger me, I didn't know! Goes to show you never know what someone else is going through. Good to see you back fella!

If you can reference please do. My understanding is that all road users are equal in priority terms? Although I understand revisions are underway to more officially prioritise cyclists and pedestrians over motorists now, rather than rely on the common sense approach (which few motorists have anymore) to protecting the more vulnerable road user.

So good...

People who criticise cyclists (other road users in general) while displaying their own monumental ignorance of the Highway Code.

Hi all! Some time ago, we used to run contributed match previews by you guys, and given the recent upgrade to the mb I feel it's high time we brought them back! I'll list the fixtures below, I'll add any cup fixtures as they're announced, and just comment below which matches you would like to do! It'll be first come first serve, so get in quick! Once allocated, you'll see your username placed next to the match, with the match crossed out. If for any reason you can't do one that you've committed to or you've asked for the wrong one, just let me know or comment below. As matches pass, I'll remove them from the list. For an example, see my West Brom Match Thread, or the myriad of wonderful and often side-splittingly funny previews in the site archives. August 28/08/21 Middlesbrough (Away) @arbitro September 11/09/21 Luton Town (Home) 14/09/21 Hull City (Home) 18/09/21 Barnsley (Away) @Miller11 25/09/21 Cardiff City (Home) @Proudtobeblue&white 28/09/21 Huddersfield Town (Away) October 02/10/21 Blackpool (Away) @m1st 16/10/21 Coventry City (Home) 1̶9̶/1̶0̶/2̶1̶ Q̶u̶e̶e̶n̶s̶ P̶a̶r̶k̶ R̶a̶n̶g̶e̶r̶s̶ (̶A̶w̶a̶y̶)̶ - @ben_the_beast 23/10/21 Reading (Home) - J*B 30/10/21 Derby County (Away) November 03/11/21 Fulham (Home) @CambridgeRover 06/11/21 Sheffield United (Home) rog of the rovers 20/11/21 Bristol City (Away) Mike E 24/11/21 Peterborough United (Home) 27/11/21 Stoke City (Away) December 04/12/21 Preston North End (Home) 11/12/21 Bournemouth (Away) 18/12/21 Birmingham City (Home) 26/12/21 Hull City (Away) 29/12/21 Barnsley (Home) January 01/01/22 Huddersfield Town (Home) 15/01/22 Cardiff City (Away) 22/01/22 Middlesbrough (Home) 29/01/22 Luton Town (Away) February 05/02/22 Swansea City (Away) 09/02/22 Nottingham Forest (Home) 12/02/22 West Bromwich Albion (Away) 19/02/22 Millwall (Home) 23/02/22 Sheffield United (Away) Herbie6590 26/02/22 Queens Park Rangers (Home) March 05/03/22 Fulham (Away) Proudtobeblue&white 12/03/22 Bristol City (Home) 15/03/22 Derby County (Home) 19/03/22 Reading (Away) April 02/04/22 Coventry City (Away) 09/04/22 Blackpool (Home) 15/04/22 Peterborough United (Away) m1st 18/04/22 Stoke City (Home) 23/04/22 Preston North End (Away) 30/04/22 Bournemouth (Home) May 07/05/22 Birmingham City (Away)

Club history The West Bromwich Football Club as we know it today, played its first match against Hudsons FC on 23 November 1878. Borrowing a ball from another local club they drew 0-0 in front of a handful of enthralled spectators, beginning a tradition of dull as f*** football that continues to this day. Ten months later, on 20 September 1879, West Bromwich Strollers were formed as an official club by a group of workers from the George Salter Spring Works, many of whom participated in the initial Hudsons match. These men from Salters, still without a ball between them (heehee) went to the nearest shop that sold footballs, in Wednesbury, where there were already the three flourishing clubs; The Old Athletic, another Strollers by coincidence and Elwells. Cooper’s Hill, a roughly triangular shaped piece of wasteland inspiring Tony Mowbray's modern 'tactics', and Dartmouth Park were alternately used. The players would carry a pair of portable goalposts with them because they were never quite sure where they would kick off. Hence the name Strollers. The first formally recorded match, as Strollers, was played on 13th December 1879 against Black Lake Victoria at Dartmouth Park and was won 1-0. Soon the name Strollers was thought to sound too casual so they changed it to West Bromwich Albion in 1880. The suffix was derived from an old foundry district in West Bromwich of the same name, where several of the members lived. The support for the Albion was such that paying spectators demanded to be entertained, for which purpose an enclosed ground was required. This was found on Bunn’s Field, also known as 'The Birches', located off Wallsall Street. With the still growing support Albion were in need of yet another venue. Four Acres became their new home in 1882. Despite a staggering 16,393 crowd in 1885 for the visit of our beloved Blackburn Rovers, West Bromwich Albion had eventually outgrown Four Acres and 'Strolled on' again, this time to Stoney Lane, only a short walk from the club’s previous grounds. By 1900 Stoney Lane had degenerated to such an extent that it had become one of the worst in the First Division, attendances had slumped to around 6,000, and the club faced a financial crisis. Another move was thought best for the revival of the club’ s fortunes. When the board took out an option on a 10 acre site, West Bromwich Albion found their permanent home at the now familiar The Hawthorns. So-called because the club’s secretary, Frank Heaven, had discovered that hawthorn bushes had flourished in the surrounding area at one time. To this day, the Hawthorns remains the highest football ground in England above sea level! It was also, incidentally, the first ground to successfully implement electronic turnstiles. The new ground brought with it the team nickname The Throstles, the Black Country word for Thrush, commonly seen in the hawthorn bushes from which the ‘ground’ took its name. My dad reckons, after chatting to Eric Morecambe in the 70s, that this nickname was the inspiration for one of his longest running gags. For example: 'Have you got the Throstles?' 'No, I always walk like this!' The joke was the oft repeated with potentially funny sounding words greeted by the same punchline; 'Have you got the sprockets/scrolls or other word topical to one of Ernie Wise's 'Plays what I wrote'. For many years a thrush ‘lived’ at the ground in a wooden cage which was hung above the player’s tunnel. Later the club had a replica of a large thrush perched on top of the half-time scoreboard at the uncovered Woodman Paddock. It also inspired the design of the official club badge, with a throstle, perched on a branch, depicted on a background of the blue and white club colours. West Bromwich Albion have alternatiely used the throstle and the town’s first coat of arms as their insignia. The arms were granted in 1882 and except the millrinds, which represent the iron and brass foundries, the items are all derived from the arms, crest and supporters of the Earls of Dartmouth, who were formerly seated at Sandwell Hall. The ostrich feathers in the crest, nowadays associated with the Heir Apparent, were introduced into English royal heraldry by Edward III, who probably derived it from his wife, Philippa of Hainault. They represent willing obedience and derenity. The shield with the stag’s head is charged with blue stars and fleurs-de-lys alluding to the sparkling water of Sandwell Spa. Less readily explained than the crest is the nickname 'The Baggies'. It is a mystery defying a solution; we do not know what to believe but you will enjoy whatever version. In its early days The Hawthorns had only two entrances, one behind each goal. On match days the gatekeepers would gather up the takings at each end and be escorted by policemen along the sides of the pitch to the centre line where there was a small office under the stand. The gate money, mostly in pennies, amounted to a considerable sum and was carried in large cloth bags. It wasn’t long before some wag in the crowd started shouting “here come the bag men!” at their appearance in front of the main stand, and this developed into a chant of “here come the Baggies!”, giving the team its unnofficial nickname. Another version claims that in early days of the club’s history, many of the supporters worked in the local ironworks and because of the intense heat, tended to wear very loose, baggy clothing. Since most of them would go straight to the match after work, it resulted in a very oddly attired bunch standing on the terraces at the Hawthorns, and led to the nickname of ‘Baggies’. A more surprising idea? The name Baggies was given to Albion’s ironworker fans by Villa supporters. They used to put on their moleskin trousers on Saturday afternoons, with belts worn instead of braces, and periodically they would give a sailor’s hitch to their unmentionables when they began to sag over their boots. When Albion and Villa clashed at the old Perry Bar Ground large numbers of Albion fans walked to the game. The ironworkers kept together in groups, many of them with their trousers at three quarters mast, and when near the ground, they were greeted with cries of `Here come the Baggies of Bromwich'” Finally, all labourers in the Black Country wore trousers from a thick material called `duck’. When new, it was snow white, but with frequent washing went a dark hue. When repairs were necessary, at knees and back, the dark trousers were repaired with snowy white `duck’. This gave a bulky appearance to the patch, so labourers with these patches were generally called Baggies, as they looked like flour bags, and hence the taunt from Villa supporters back in the old days... Random fact: West Brom full back George Shaw was the last player born in the 19th century to earn an England cap. Celebrity fans: Eric Clapton, Frank Skinner, Adrian Chiles, Lenny Henry, Joe Lycett, Liam Payne. Probably others? Previous Meetings: I honestly can't remember very many. I vaguely recall Keith Andrews scoring a fantastic volley against them once? Shared players: Mowbray (ugh), Reid, and I'm sure a great many others. Current form: 7pts from 9, rather like us! They've just swept promotion favourites Sheffield United aside 4-0, so not expecting an easy game! Standout players: You'll have to forgive my ignorance. Prediction: Dunno. Loss?

Chicken dinner?

Lee Mack summed him up perfectly: 'Sean's appeal was that he made you feel he was your mate making you laugh down the pub.'

Only seen my dad cry twice. When his brother died, and when Jack died.

Depends on the signing ofc, which your post highlights nicely. But it also shows that there are free transfers to be taken advantage of even if nobody else goes for it.

'That good'? I said affordable and 'could be useful'. Not exactly a high bar, I'm literally thinking of plugging gaps in our squad. Why did nobody else clamour to sign Nelsen or Samba or Tugay or Friedel or Graham or Mulgrew or Dack or Kaminski 'if they are that good'? All players we signed without battling another club.

No idea. I'm looking at that and thinking some of them could be affordable and beneficial. Joe Bennett, Neil Taylor, Mendez-Laing, Hoilett, Rochina, Bolasie, Saivet, Bentaleb could all be useful imo, and they're just the ones I've heard of.

Here's a list of current free agents: https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/statistik/vertragslosespieler Surely any football management worth their salt would be able to use that list (along with the myriad tools at their disposal within the game) to fill in gaps in the squad? Surely?

Jim, have I got this right? You don't think we're allowed to criticise the club for missing out on a player that you don't think is good enough?

Fair play then. We must've missed something when Kean was manager.

Possibly 'played here' for Liverpool? Notice he never says he played 'for' Rovers.

Are you alright? You're making a lot of false claims about moderation recently. I would hardly call insulting another poster without provocation (neither of you were speaking to the other previously) a 'small indiscretion' for your first sin bin. For your second one, you were doing the same thing, so we thought rather than get the sin bin out, we'd ask if you'd mind not insulting other posters. You told the moderator to 'wind your neck in'. So don't bother playing the victim, the vast majority of posters manage to not ever get banned. You know the guidelines you signed up to. Read them again if you must.