SYNOPSIS

On 7 April 2002 West Bromwich Albion won promotion to the Premiership after 16 long years in the wilderness of the Nationwide League. It was a joyous and emotional day for anyone connected with the Baggies, a day that will hopefully mark the return of happier times to this proud and famous football club.

There have been so many great times in the club’s 124-year history. Five FA Cup finals and founder members of the Football League in the late 19th century; the unique FA Cup and promotion ‘double’ in 1931; Ronnie Allen’s exhilarating side of the 50s; Jeff Astle and Tony Brown in the glorious 60s; and the swashbuckling 70s side of Big Ron and the Three Degrees.

The Essential History of West Bromwich Albion is the complete story of the club: from the day in 1878 when a group of lads from George Salter’s Spring Factory walked to nearby Wednesbury to purchase a football and start up a football team, through to inspirational manager Gary Megson leading Albion back to where they belong in 2002. To complement the Albion story, this book also includes season-by-season statistics of every single player and every single competitive game in the history of the club.