1

West Bromwich Albion FC / RIP Mark Townsend

« on: September 28, 2024, 05:22:35 PM »

For anyone at that game today, football was second. No one cared. That poor poor man.

Wednesday stewards, medical response team and the referee need investigating.

Just read on Twitter that an Albion fan has passed away. Sad news. Puts everything into perspective

2

West Bromwich Albion FC / Martin Drury joins coaching staff

« on: August 22, 2024, 03:04:51 PM »

https://www.wba.co.uk/news/martin-drury-joins-carlos-corberans-coaching-staff

Albion are delighted to welcome Martin Drury to Carlos Corberán’s backroom staff.

Drury, 38, joins the Baggies from Manchester United where he had been an academy coach since July 2022.

Prior to his spell at Old Trafford, Drury enjoyed six years as a coach at Bradford City, during which time he established a working relationship with Corberán, then a coach at Leeds United.

Corberán said: “I would like to welcome Martin to The Hawthorns as a new member of my coaching staff.

“I know him personally and professionally from my first year in the UK. I have a huge amount of respect for him as both a person and as a coach.

“I am confident Martin will make a valuable contribution to my team, our players, and the club.”


Welcome to the club Martin.

3

West Bromwich Albion FC / Harry Whitwell

« on: August 21, 2024, 10:34:07 AM »

Harry Whitwell signs extension until summer 2026 - OS

Young midfielder Harry Whitwell has signed a contract extension at The Hawthorns.

The new deal for the 18-year-old, who was handed his first senior start in last week’s Carabao Cup clash against Fleetwood Town at Highbury Stadium, will run until the summer of 2026.

Whitwell has been with the Baggies since the age of 11 and penned his maiden professional contract on his 17th birthday in November 2022.

The promising academy graduate insists he’s been determined to keep on improving and says he’s delighted his “hard work” has been rewarded.

Harry said: “I’m really happy that the hard work I’ve put in since signing my first professional contract has been rewarded.

“I’m so happy to sign another contract and it shows the club have seen my progress.

“I definitely see this as the best place to continue my development as a player. You’ve only got to look at Tom Fellows and Caleb Taylor to see there are opportunities here.

“Making my first start for the senior team against Fleetwood last week is something you can only ever wish for as a young player trying to make your way in the professional game.

“It was a really good challenge and I want as many of those challenges as I can get. It wasn’t the result everyone hoped for, but it was an incredible experience and it’s made me determined to earn more of those first-team opportunities.”

https://www.wba.co.uk/news/harry-whitwell-signs-contract-extension

4

West Bromwich Albion FC / Lewis Dobbin signs on loan - official

« on: August 06, 2024, 03:32:50 PM »

https://www.wba.co.uk/news/lewis-dobbin-joins-albion-season-long-loan



West Bromwich Albion are delighted to announce the signing of attacker Lewis Dobbin on a season-long loan from Aston Villa.

The 21-year-old, who joined Villa in the summer from Everton, has made 15 Premier League appearances and spent the 2022/23 campaign on loan at Derby County.

Dobbin’s arrival strengthens Carlos Corberán’s options at the top end of the pitch and the winger says he’s determined to show everyone at The Hawthorns what he’s about.




He said: “I’m really happy to be here. It’s the perfect opportunity to get first-team minutes and show what I can do.

“I’ve heard a lot about the Championship and I know it’s a tough, competitive league. I’m ready for it, though. I really want to show what I’m about.

“I like to excite the fans and get them out of their seats. I love to score goals and create goals, so hopefully I can do lots of that here this season.”




Baggies head coach Carlos Corberán added: “Lewis is a young, talented player who has come in to strengthen our team in attack.

“He can play on both the left and right sides as a winger, and last year he played minutes in the Premier League.

“He has also experienced a loan before, which is important, when he was at Derby in League One a few seasons ago.

“We’re very pleased to have him here for the season.”




Didn't expect this but happy with it! Welcome to the club Lewis.

5

West Bromwich Albion FC / Gianluca Frabotta joins Albion

« on: August 05, 2024, 10:41:46 PM »

Westbrom Xtra

🌕 West Brom overtakes #QPR for Gianluca Frabotta : medical visits and signatures tomorrow.

@DiMarzio #wba


Juventus squad player. Not played regular for them since 20-21 season

6

West Bromwich Albion FC / Paddy McNair joins on loan OFFICIAL

« on: July 25, 2024, 06:02:05 PM »

https://www.wba.co.uk/news/paddy-mcnair-joins-albion-loan-deal



Albion have completed the signing of Northern Ireland international Paddy McNair on a loan deal until December 31, 2024 from MLS outfit San Diego FC.

The 29-year-old arrives at The Hawthorns with a wealth of Sky Bet Championship experience having spent the last seven years in the division with Sunderland and Middlesbrough.

McNair, who has been capped 69 times by his nation, bolsters Carlos Corberán’s options in both defence and midfield.

Paddy says it’s an exciting move and hopes to show his capabilities in an Albion shirt as soon as possible.

He said: “West Bromwich Albion is a very good club and one I’ve always admired.

“I know a lot of lads who have played here in the past and they’ve all said good things about it. I’m really happy to be here.

“I’ve played in the Championship for the last seven years so I’ve got a lot of experience in this division.”


Head Coach Carlos Corberán is delighted to have the versatile Northern Irishman in his ranks and said: “We’re very pleased to have signed Paddy and we welcome him to our club.

“He is a player who has a lot of experience in this league with Sunderland and Middlesbrough. He’s played just under 350 career matches and he’ll add a lot of maturity and quality to our squad.

“He is capable of playing in a number of different positions which will be really helpful for us and really important in a league as demanding as the Championship.”


Welcome to the club Paddy.  Assume we see Caleb Taylor go out on loan now.

7

West Bromwich Albion FC / OFFICIAL: Joe Wildsmith signs

« on: July 10, 2024, 03:33:55 PM »

Chapman

Griffiths' loan has been confirmed. Expect Wildsmith's arrival to be imminent. #wba

8

West Bromwich Albion FC / WBA matchday prices - non season ticket holders

« on: July 09, 2024, 05:11:44 PM »

Albion have confirmed match ticket prices for the 2024/25 Sky Bet Championship campaign – with under-17s ticket prices frozen at just £5.

Adult tickets start at £30, while other match tickets are priced £5 under-17s, £14 for 17-19s, £20 for 20-25s and £25 seniors (65+). Adult disabled supporter tickets are priced £20. 

Adult season tickets continue to offer the best value for money at The Hawthorns, providing savings of up to £291, with a £399 adult season ticket equating to just £17.35 per match.

Significant season ticket savings can be found in all price categories, with £23 “Kids for a Quid” season tickets available to under-17s.

2023/24 season ticket holders have until 3pm on Friday, July 12 to renew their existing seats, with sales then paused until 10am on Monday, July 15.

Consequently, 2023/24 season ticket holders who do not renew before the deadline are at risk of losing their existing seat.

Seats for the 2024/25 campaign remain on sale to new and existing season ticket holders.

9

West Bromwich Albion FC / Carabao Cup - R1 Fleetwood (A)

« on: June 27, 2024, 11:42:16 AM »

We are away to Fleetwood, August 14th apparently.


Nice seaside trip!

10

General Football & Sports / Euro 2024 Official Thread

« on: June 14, 2024, 08:24:19 PM »

Scots losing 2-0 to Germany after 19 minutes.

11

General Football & Sports / Kevin Campbell

« on: June 01, 2024, 10:57:17 PM »

Seeing some posts on Twitter saying Kevin Campbell has got some issues with his kidneys


Best wishes to him.

12

General Football & Sports / Referee pay in the top leagues

« on: April 13, 2024, 10:28:06 AM »

Probably not of much interest too many people but Atheltic have posted an article about a week ago ( i've only just seen it) on how much the referees get paid in the top flight in the major leagues.

"In La Liga, referees command a fixed £124,256 ($157,115) salary and receive an additional £4,205 match fee, or £2,102 per game if they are the VAR referee. Officials in Spain are also paid an extra £21,929 a year for image rights, which relates to wearing advertising by the Wurth Group on their kits.

Referees in the Premier League are, however, paid on a sliding scale between £73,191, £105,257 and £147,258 depending on their level of experience and rank. Their match fee works out at £1,116 per game, or £837 for working as the video assistant referee.

Premier League referees also receive a bonus based on the quality of their performance and how many ‘key match incidents’ they get right."


Seria A is a 77k average and Ligue 1 is 67K, Budesliga ranges from 53 to 70k

I think i would have trained to be a ref with those wages instead of failing as a footballer.

13

West Bromwich Albion FC / WBA FC Financial report 22/23 published

« on: April 03, 2024, 09:46:24 AM »

https://www.wba.co.uk/news/albion-publish-202223-accounts




West Bromwich Albion Football Club has submitted to Companies House its annual report and financial statements for the 12-month period ended 30 June 2023, which reflects the 2022/23 EFL Championship season. 

The club recorded a loss of £11m (2022: £5.4m profit) for the period ended 30 June 2023.

Turnover decreased from £65.4m for the period ended 30 June 2022 to £56.7m, owing to a reduction in Premier League distributions and sponsorship income.

The fees paid for the purchase of player registrations during this period is £11.4m (2022: £12.6m), while the sale of player registrations returned £9.8m (2022: £17.8m). 

Staff costs increased from £42.4m to £45.9m, with the increase predominantly driven by additional new first-team players and the replacement of the head coach and related coaching staff.

Events after the reporting date

In November 2023, West Bromwich Albion Group Limited extended the loan facility from MSD Holdings UK Limited by £8m. The extension of the loan has not impacted the repayment period or interest terms of the loan facility. The loan was utilised to support the ongoing funding of the football club’s general business operations.

On 28 February 2024 Bilkul Football WBA, LLC – a company ultimately owned by Shilen Patel and Dr Kiran C. Patel – acquired an 87.8% shareholding in West Bromwich Albion Group Limited.

In March 2024, an outstanding loan of £4.95m, owed during the accounting period by Wisdom Smart Corporation Limited, was repaid in full, including interest, by the club’s parent company, Bilkul Football WBA.

As part of the acquisition, the 2014 loan between West Bromwich Albion Football Club and West Bromwich Albion Holdings Limited novated to Bilkul Football WBA. This loan remains subject to an ongoing King’s Counsel investigation.

14

West Bromwich Albion FC / WBA NEW OWNERS - Bilkul football

« on: February 16, 2024, 07:48:07 PM »

Here's the first pics i believe of our new Chairman at the Hawthorns. Borrowed from WBA Report on Twitter






Welcome to the club, please look after us. You have a good chance to do well with us with some care, attention and planning!

15

West Bromwich Albion FC / Mikey Johnston joins on permanent deal

« on: February 01, 2024, 08:37:48 PM »

https://www.wba.co.uk/news/mikey-johnston-joins-loan-celtic?fbclid=IwAR1oNJ-ICYqS1UPsXEWgwW__3n54FarCYYYVImVwNAGPWUxciAYQ3juCrfU



Albion have signed Celtic winger Mikey Johnston on loan for the remainder of the Sky Bet Championship season, subject to international clearance.

Johnston becomes the Baggies’ third signing of the January transfer window, joining fellow additions Andi Weimann and Callum Marshall in Carlos Corberán’s first-team squad.

The 24-year-old attacker has made 92 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish champions, including nine since the start of December.

He made his international debut for the Republic of Ireland in March 2023 and has now earned eight caps, scoring twice.

And the Glasgow-born wide player cannot wait to get started.




“I want to hit the ground running and make an impact right away,” said Mikey. “I think the deal has been rumbling on since the start of the window, so I’m just happy to get it over the line.

“Right from the start, the gaffer Carlos Corberán was on to me to get me in. He was telling me all about the way he likes to play and bits about the club.

“I was really keen as soon as I spoke to him. He’s impressive. You know exactly what he needs from you and it’s exactly the type of manager I like to work under.”






Head coach Carlos Corberán added: “At the start of the window we identified a need to increase our attacking options, specifically in wide positions.

“Mikey was one of our targets going into this window and we are delighted he is joining us.

“He is a player with European and international football experience as a winger and, if needed, he also has the qualities required to play as a number 10.

“Mikey has the skill to make a difference in the final third and the fact he has played regularly for Celtic in December and January means he will be able to make an immediate impact here.”



Welcome to the club

16

West Bromwich Albion FC / Andi Weimann signs on loan official

« on: January 15, 2024, 05:23:19 PM »

https://www.wba.co.uk/news/albion-add-austrian-forward-andi-weimann-ranks-loan

Albion have completed the signing of Andreas Weimann on loan from Bristol City for the remainder of the 2023/24 Sky Bet Championship campaign.

The Austria international attacker, who has been capped 21 times by his nation, arrives at The Hawthorns with a wealth of experience having made over 300 appearances in the second tier for four clubs.

Weimann, who also has 113 Premier League games to his name, has been handed the number 17 shirt.

‘Andi’ is excited to arrive at The Hawthorns and hopes his experience can help the team.

Head Coach Carlos Corberán added: “Andi has proven himself to be an excellent Championship player for many years, and we are pleased to have him with us.

“He adds quality and experience to our attacking options and is a welcome addition to the group.

“He is fit and ready to play which is also important. We’re looking forward to working with Andi and I’m confident he will make a positive contribution during his time here.”

17

General Football & Sports / Top 6 EFL squads 2023-24

« on: November 07, 2023, 05:00:57 PM »

Rather than potentially derail the CC thread i thought i'd list my top 6 squads ( on paper )

1) Leicester
2) Leeds
3) Southampton


4 and 5 i would say WBA and Boro, tied really, can't choose.

6) Sunderland

18

West Bromwich Albion FC / Pipa joins on loan

« on: September 01, 2023, 10:29:17 PM »

DONE DEAL

https://www.wba.co.uk/news/pipa-joins-loan-ludogorets



Albion have signed Spanish defender Pipa on a season-long loan from reigning Bulgarian champions Ludogorets.

The 25-year-old right-back, who has Champions League experience, teams up with Head Coach Carlos Corberán for a third time, following spells at Huddersfield and Olympiakos.

Pipa can also play at wing-back and began his career at Espanyol where he progressed through Spain’s youth age groups to under-21 level. 

And Corberán, who coached Pipa in a Championship Play-Off final, says he will “increase competition” in his defence.




Carlos said: “Pipa is a player I know well having worked with him twice before, and I am delighted to welcome him to the club, particularly as he was so enthusiastic about joining Albion.”

“He is a versatile player with experience of the Championship, Champions League, and La Liga, and he helps cover our needs at right-back and right wing-back.

“It is important we have competition in all positions of the pitch and bringing in Pipa increases our defensive options on the right, as well as allowing a younger player to gain experience on loan.

“I am pleased a player of his experience and professionalism is joining the club for the season.”

19

General Football & Sports / Jeremy Sarmiento signs on loan - official.

« on: July 25, 2023, 07:03:34 PM »

West Bromwich Albion
@WBA
We're delighted to announce Jeremy Sarmiento has joined Albion on a season-long loan! ✍️

Welcome, @jeremysarm7ento
! 🇪🇨


OUT OF THE BLUE!

20

West Bromwich Albion FC / Marcos Abad - new GK coach

« on: July 18, 2023, 04:46:44 PM »

https://www.wba.co.uk/news/marcos-abad-confirmed-new-goalkeeper-coach?fbclid=IwAR3HdS7ay8GwPGyoKmlmgJ7-l1IYRww5LXtYjnzk9Q_vmLprO6CbaI8SM6k




Albion are delighted to confirm the appointment of Marcos Abad as the club’s Goalkeeping Coach.

Abad arrives at The Hawthorns following a six-year spell with Leeds United, where he worked with Baggies boss Carlos Corberán.

Abad replaces Gary Walsh in the head coach’s backroom staff, and Corberán paid tribute to the departing Goalkeeping Coach, before outlining Abad’s qualities. 

He said: “First of all, I would like to thank Gary for all his hard work at the football club, and all the work we have done together. We have built a strong relationship that I will always appreciate.”

“I would like to welcome Marcos to the club,” Corberán added. “I have worked with Marcos before for three years at Leeds and I know he shares my passion and enthusiasm for coaching and I know that will help us with our goalkeepers, as well as some other responsibilities that he will take on with my staff.

“This is an opportunity for Marcos and I to work together again, which I’m pleased about, as I know Marcos has the knowledge, experience and dedication to help us, specifically with our goalkeepers.”

21

West Bromwich Albion FC / Gary Walsh

« on: July 09, 2023, 09:05:35 AM »

Nixon has posted an article saying GK coach Gary Walsh has finally been sacked by CC.

22

West Bromwich Albion FC / Fixtures 23-24 season

« on: June 22, 2023, 09:03:53 AM »

Blackburn away up first which was leaked on Twitter this AM anyway.


https://www.wba.co.uk/news/albions-202324-sky-bet-championship-fixtures-announced?fbclid=IwAR3q2rZuAgMZ6K3978ck-2t8nZ2qVrJOMmDF1Dc6SMpDllOTaILix_0pUoY

23

West Bromwich Albion FC / Retained list

« on: May 23, 2023, 04:23:53 PM »

Everyone gone as expected apart from Pieters who is in talks to stay.

West Bromwich Albion can confirm their retained and released lists following the conclusion of the 2022/23 campaign.

The Baggies are in talks with first-team defender Erik Pieters over a new deal, while goalkeeper Ted Cann has earned a one-year extension to his current contract, which now runs until June 2024.

PL2 quartet Jamie Andrews, Mo Faal, Aaron Harper-Bailey and Brad Foster, as well as second-year scholars Fenton Heard, Akeel Higgins, Layton Love and Narel Phillips, have all received offers to remain with the club.

But three senior players will be leaving The Hawthorns this summer.

Long-serving club captain Jake Livermore departs following six-and-a-half years in B71, and he said goodbye to Baggies fans earlier this month via an open letter.

Tom Rogic and Kean Bryan are also leaving the football club.

Former Celtic midfielder Rogic, who signed in September 2022, exits having scored twice in 23 games across all competitions last season and Bryan departs after making three appearances in two years at The Hawthorns.


Youngsters Quevin Castro, Rico Richards, Ramello Mitchell, Cianole Nguepissi, Sammy Okoka, Sam Oluwatobi, Beau Hudd, Tobias Hurlock, Femi Olofinjana, Archie Oliver and Jesse Wangusi are also set to leave the Baggies when their current contracts expire.

The club would like to thank all departing players for their efforts during their time at The Hawthorns and wishes them every success in the future.

24

West Bromwich Albion FC / Marc Albrighton joins on loan

« on: January 31, 2023, 08:28:46 PM »

Pete O'Rourke
@SportsPeteO
Understand Leicester winger Marc Albrighton is set to join West Brom on loan. #LCFC #wba #WBAFC #DeadlineDay

25

West Bromwich Albion FC / Nathaniel Chalobah joins Albion

« on: January 31, 2023, 09:21:18 AM »

Elias

Nathaniel Chalobah is undergoing medical at West Brom. 28 y/o midfielder close to completing a permanent transfer from Fulham. Made 4 appearances in the Premier League this season. #WBA #FFC w/ @peterrutzler


28 so likely looking for one last retirement length contract. Thank god our executives are on the lookout for those kind of players to stop them hamstringing our limited budget.