HISTORY

West Bromwich Albion’s official supporters club was founded on October 4, 1951 and it had an initial membership of 130. Subsequent years saw membership grow steadily with branches in Smethwick, Oldbury, Coseley and Cradley Heath all formed. At the end of the decade the club could boast well over a 1000 members.

During the early years of the supporters club, local public houses were used as headquarters; The Cross Guns - Carters Green (in recent years The Marksman) and The Corner House which once stood in West Bromwich High Street amongst them. It wasn’t until April 1965 that the supporters club finally had a home of it’s own. At a cost of £50,000 the original Throstle Club was built adjoining the Woodman public house on land that is now the East Stand car park. Albion legend Jesse Pennington had the honour of pulling the first pint at the premises.

Five more clubs would be opened over the next five years and the first one - in Dog Kennel Lane, Warley - was opened in January 1968. Graham Williams - who would later that year lift the FA Cup for Albion - this time the man pulling the first pint.

Three more Throstle Clubs followed in 1969. The Halfords Lane Throstle Club in May, The ‘Golden Throstle’, Hamstead Road, Great Barr in October and The ‘Gay Throstle’, Redhall Road,  Lower Gornal the following month. September 1970 saw the last Throstle Club open in Park Lane West, Tipton.

The popularity of the clubs would not last though and as the parent football club’s fortunes declined so did the Throstle Clubs. One by one each club was sold off with only the Halfords Lane venue being retained by the club.

During the early 1980’s and amid claims of poor treatment by the football club apathy grew amongst officials and members, dwindling membership numbers would see most branches close, the parent association itself collapsing in the mid 1980’s. In 1986 the supporters club was resurrected but after just one meeting that too collapsed.

Throughout this troubled time only one branch remained active - Halesowen. Boasting it’s own newsletter / fanzine (The Fingerpost), football team (The Strollers) and travel service (Mammoth Tours), it was the epitome of how a supporters club should be.

In 1987, thanks in no small part to the then Albion secretary Gordon Bennett; a new West Bromwich Albion Supporters Club was formed with the Halesowen Branch Committee taking over running of the club. Unlike the attempt of 12 months previous it would be a success. Despite the club struggling on the pitch the supporters club thrived once more.

Since then the supporters club’s fortunes have been very much like the team; up and down, in some people’s eyes due once again to poor treatment from the parent football club.

In recent years it has been a struggle for the supporters club, having twice found themselves made ‘homeless’. When the last surviving Throstle Club was shut new headquarters were sought and soon found in the nearby Hawthorns public house but that venue would itself would be shut in early 2009. It wasn’t until November of that same year that a new matchday venue was found - The Pennington Suite in the East Stand at The Hawthorns. Although better than nothing, many members were unhappy with the capacity of the suite (just 100) and the strict rules of entry.

The supporters club will almost certainly never again recapture the popularity it had during the 1960’s but at time of writing there are still around 30 branches active and scattered right across the globe, perhaps evidence that interest in West Bromwich Albion does remain as strong as ever.

WEST BROMWICH ALBION SUPPORTERS CLUB - 2009/10 MEMBERSHIP DETAILS

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