1

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Yann M'Vila

« on: February 09, 2024, 11:05:18 AM »

How is his last name pronounced? Don't fancy singing that!   

2

General Football & Sports / Re: Blue card to be introduced

« on: February 08, 2024, 10:42:36 PM »

It'll just go the same way as the GAA, players on the team with 10 men will go down injured to eat into the 10 minutes

3

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Grady Diangana

« on: January 21, 2024, 09:14:30 PM »

What's the earliest he could come back? Any chance for Sunday?

4

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: New Kit for next season

« on: June 25, 2023, 10:17:14 AM »

They can't afford a new kit this year so they are asking each player to wear their best stripey top.

And yellow bibs for away games

5

General Football & Sports / Re: Ron Gourlay - CEO

« on: June 01, 2023, 02:15:38 PM »

Never been a great fan of Gourlay, and especially after his appointment of Bruce from a shortlist of one, but I will at least give him credit for picking a gem in CC as his successor. As fans, we don't know everything that executives do behind the scenes, but the evidence of what else Gourlay has achieved since here is fairly thin.

However, the club badly need an executive with in-depth football knowledge. Its not just about adminstrative, managerial ability, the working of contracts, legal stuff etc., there's got to be someone who has the experience and knowledge to assess staff from a footballing viewpoint. Who knows the football world inside out. I'm not sure who else there is at the club who has that knowledge and the ability to manage the relevant staff.
No doubt someone will have to fill the vacuum left by Gourlay, and you can only hope we get a genuine 'football' man (preferably with some Albion DNA), to fiil the role. He will certainly need to be able to form a strong relationship with Carlos.  However, given the appointment would have to be with Lai's blessing, I'm not holding my breath.

Someone like Paul Scharner, Did a cracking interview with the liquidator podcast a couple of years ago - Not sure if he has any experience in a CEO role though

6

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Our scouting

« on: May 12, 2023, 10:30:52 AM »

Ian Pearce playing Football Manager then

7

General Football & Sports / Re: The big sports thread

« on: April 09, 2023, 10:32:07 AM »

A busy bank holiday sporting weekend.

A wash out masters where my bets have slowly fell away (thanks Jason Day, you looked so promising), rivals weekend in the Rugby League (all of the local derbies on one weekend with packed houses all round, just a shame St Hekens and Hull got smashed) and the start of the County Championship cricket season (plus the continuing IPL).

The one that may go under the radar is that this weekend marks the start of the 2023 All Ireland Football tournament, via the provisional championships. British views would need an RTE subscription to watch the Munster, Leinster and Connacht championship, but you can watch a decent chunk of the Ulster championship on the BBC (either via the IPlayer Live option or the BBC website). Unlike Leinster where Dublin are near certain to squash Kildare, Meath and Offaly, Munster where Kerry usually dominate against Cork, Limerick & Tipperary and even Connacht where Mayo, Galway and occasionally Roscommon have a 2/3 horse race, Ulster is truly unpredictable. It's the only province who can claim 3 different all ireland winners this millennium and 5 since 1990.

Derry won the Ulster last year, and have followed up this year by getting promotion to Division 1 in the early year National League. They are seen as a genuine contender for the full all ireland title, their first since the 90's.  Donegal were last years runners up, they won the whole All Ireland in 2012. Tyrone won the All Ireland 2 years ago in 2021 and are probably the side with the most recent pedigree, while Armagh won an All Ireland in 2002 and were in the top division of the national league this year with Donegal and Tyrone. Alongside them you have Cavan (Ulster champs in 2020), Monaghan (Ulster champs 2015 and runners up in 2021), Fermanagh (runners up in 2018) and Down (runners up in 2017 and All Ireland winners in 91&94). Ulster is unique in that they only have one county who aren't competetive, Hurling specialists Antrim (home to Belfast), who lost in today's curtain raiser to Armagh, broadcast live on BBC.

If you fancy something a bit different - and free to air - Derry face Fermanagh next Saturday at 5pm while Tyrone vs Monaghan next Sunday at 4pm should be a closer affair.

Some result for New York overnight, first ever championship win I believe, I think Sligo will be too good for them next time out though

8

General Football & Sports / Re: The Cricket Thread

« on: December 19, 2022, 11:13:16 AM »

Rehan Ahmed takes a five-for on his debut, fantastic. Should see us wrap up a cracking 3-0 series win

9

General Football & Sports / Re: Football on TV

« on: October 12, 2022, 02:03:28 PM »

Would be great for fans of the top clubs who can't get match day tickets. Could potentially hurt some of the smaller prem sides, albeit I don't think attendances were particularly hit a decade ago when several pubs were streaming foreign TV stations prior to the crackdown.

I think some Championship sides and certainly league 1 and 2 sides may see a difference with decreased attendances but the TV revenue might make up for it.

The real losers will be the non league clubs. When people say English club football is the best in the world, they are talking about the prem which is debatable for different reasons, but what England do have over Spain, Italy and even Germany is our amazing pyramid. Thanks to our population and relatively small land mass, we have been able to sustain
5 levels of national leagues and then a pyramid all the way down to an 11th/12th even 13th step. Clubs like Halesowen are taking 400 fans to away games at the moment, that's what makes English football great.

If every WBA, Wolves, Villa, Blues and Walsall game was available on TV,it's  almost certain non league football would take a huge hit.

I guess they just don't matter in the constant search for the next revenue stream.

I went round to watch my local team, Boldmere St Micahels play Halesowen last night, fantastic turn out from the away fans, easily over 350 came over

10

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: Pre Match Chat

« on: August 09, 2022, 11:45:06 AM »

Have a feeling Yokuslu will be kept fresh for a possible start at Blackburn

11

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: The "Best" XI in your time as a Baggie

« on: August 08, 2022, 11:18:02 AM »

Just curious about why Ruel Fox is in - not a player most people would include

More for his time before he signed, I always rated him at Spurs , Newcastle & Norwich

12

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: The "Best" XI in your time as a Baggie

« on: August 07, 2022, 09:59:47 PM »

Foster

Evans
Gmac
Olsson

Ruel Fox
Fletcher
Gera
Brunt

Lukaku
Anelka
Kanu


Anyone tempted to put the tatter in? 😂

13

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: Pre Match Chat

« on: August 03, 2022, 08:35:33 AM »

For anyone travelling that way, the closing ceremony is Monday night from 8 till 10pm, Traffic could be a nightmare

14

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: New strip

« on: July 26, 2022, 12:06:24 PM »

We seem to have looked to our two nearest & dearest friends for inspiration for these goalkeeper kits 

15

General Football & Sports / Re: Cricket Loyalties

« on: July 14, 2021, 12:12:20 PM »

You Bears!!! Shame it's a reduced crowd on Friday night 

16

General Football & Sports / Re: OFFICIAL PREMIER LEAGUE THREAD

« on: July 19, 2020, 05:21:05 PM »

Arsenal players playing for a place in cup final starting 11, expect them to win by 2-3 goals

17

Albion Matchday Forum / Re: Pre Match Chat

« on: July 18, 2020, 10:25:55 AM »

Still a game we have to win & hope for the best - no point going in with the attitude that it's just a warm up for the play-offs or an experimental "pre-season" type game , as we all know anything can happen in football

18

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Jonas Olsson

« on: March 23, 2017, 11:29:33 AM »

Be great to see him back for the Brunt/Morrison testimonial

19

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: New Kit/ Sponsors

« on: May 10, 2016, 03:56:54 PM »

Nice enough kit, but near enough £100 for a kids kit with name & number is disgraceful!

20

West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Most obscure Albion player

« on: May 31, 2015, 05:20:21 PM »

Aha remembered him!!

Gerry Creaney!!

Gerry Creaney, lol . . . I remember that game,  followed by a pitch invasion if I remember