Each month we take a look at an
Albion ‘programme from the past’. A number of the programmes will be rarities, allowing a much wider audience to view them, perhaps for the very first time.
Gateshead v West Bromwich Albion, FA Cup Fourth
Round, Redheugh Park, Saturday 29th January 1949
With Gateshead this weekend making a rare visit to
The Hawthorns, this month's featured programme comes from a previous FA Cup
meeting of the clubs, back in January 1949.
Albion, who had disposed of Lincoln City 1-0 in the
third round at Sincil Bank, travelled to the north east to take on Third
Division North side Gateshead who were playing their fourth game in the season's
competition. After beating non-league sides Netherfield and Scarborough in the
first two rounds, winning both games by three goals to nil, they then faced
Third Division South side Aldershot in the third round, a game they won 3-1.
The Baggies, who were making their first, and
to-date, only visit to Redheugh Park, travelled as Second Division leaders and
went into the game as huge favourites but it would take extra-time to ensure
Albion made it into the fifth round, eventually winning the tie 3-1.
The teams lined up for the game as follows,
Albion: Jim Sanders, Jim Pemberton, Harry Kinsell,
Len Millard, Jack Vernon, Glyn Hood, Billy Elliott, Cyril Williams, Dave Walsh,
Ray Barlow, Arthur Smith.
Scorers: Walsh 2, Smith.
Gateshead: Edward Dawson, Robert Cairns, Harold
Wyles, Jack Callender, Tom Callender, Jimmy Woodburn, Harry Hetherington, Fred
Atkinson, George Wilbert, Jimmy Kendall, Johnny Ingham.
Scorer: Jack Callender.
A hat-trick from Walsh in the next round saw Albion
defeat Chelsea 3-0 at The Hawthorns in front of 57,000 fans but the club's cup
run would end at the quarter final stage, the Baggies suffering a 1-0 defeat to
Black Country rivals Wolves at Molineux.
The season would end on an high note though, Albion
gaining promotion back into the First Division as Second Division runners-up
behind champions Fulham. The Baggies would have clinched the title themselves
had they beaten Grimsby Town in their final game of the season but missed out on
the trophy after suffering a 1-0 defeat at Blundell Park.
The eight page 'fold-out' programme issued for the
game is extremely rare and copies, when they do appear for sale, often sell for
anything over £50.
View the complete programme here
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