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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Goalkeepers over the years

« on: September 24, 2019, 03:04:21 PM »

Naylor i believe holds the record for appearances for us as a keeper. Largely forgotten now to say he played so many games. Adequate keeper but another with little personality.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Guochuan Lai

« on: September 24, 2019, 02:11:03 PM »

Isn't it this month his financial restrictions are relaxed?
The silence is deafening.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Goalkeepers over the years

« on: September 24, 2019, 02:00:36 PM »

Good thread.
In my time following Albion we have had more poor keepers than good ones.

Dick Sheppard fortunately didn't make many appearances for us, but i still get cold shudders when i think of him. The stuff of nightmares.

Jim Cumbes was 6' 4" and thirty yard shots used to go over his head. At Molineux Wolves scored direct from a corner past him. I will never know how he managed to catch a cricket ball. We were outside the ground at Stoke and my cousin asked him for his autograph, adding, don't drop the pen. Cumbes laughed so he had a sense of humour going for him.

Don Howe signed Graham Smith after seeing him play a blinder for Colchester in the Cup on MOTD. In his first two games for us he conceded 6 goals, he didn't look tall enough to reach the crossbar.

Scott Carson and Zuberbular. Carson was a Jonah. He would see a shot coming, think this is going in, he would dive full length and tip it onto the post or the bar, it would rebound off the back of his head and go in.
Zubi would see a shop coming, he would think, this is going wide. He would watch the ball hit the post or the bar and it would rebound into his hands.
Both of them were heart attack material.

The worst performances i have seen from an Albion keeper in a single game are, Sheppard at Coventry lost 2-4, Crichton at Molineux, lost 2-0, and Fulop v Arsenal, lot 2-3 after leading 2-0.

I first saw Godden away at Ashton Gate in 1977, the ball was bouncing all around the box and he was rooted to his line. I thought who the eff is this? We did manage to get a 2-1 win however. Not the worst keeper we have had but far from the best. Brilliant reflexes, but never commanded his box and stayed on his line.  The 78 team needed a Shilton or a Clemence in goal, then it would have been great.

Osborne is far and away the best keeper i have seen at Albion, brave to the point of foolhardy, total command of crosses, not just the six yard box but the 18 yard box. Brilliant reflexes, intelligent, funny, and a great showman we will never see his like again. If we were winning comfortably he would take a throw in, or dribble the ball up the pitch, he was capped as a half back as a schoolboy. One game we had a corner and i looked back at our goalmouth, he was nowhere to be seen, the goals were wide open. Then i saw him sitting on the wall talking to the kids. When i think about te showmen we had in the 60's and 70's it makes my heart race.

Russell Hoult was the nearest i have seen to Ossie in football terms, but he was the total opposite in personality, grey, zero charisma, as interesting as an iceberg lettuce. I do think Houlty was one of the best keepers in the country at his peak.

Foster was another good keeper and as pointed out worth 10 points to us over a season, but he had lapses in concentration and his kicking was poor.

Too early to mention Johnstone yet one way or another, but needs to up his game and concentration.

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General Football & Sports / Re: Dingle watch - Anything Wolves

« on: September 20, 2019, 01:17:25 PM »

Don't stick up for the Dingles, they have a decent side yes, but let's enjoy their misfortunes while we can. They have no love for us however good we are.

We beat Braga home and away. Mind you it was 41 years ago.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: albion supporters club

« on: September 20, 2019, 12:12:47 PM »

I don't think the club is as close knit or it looks after the fans like it used to.
We had loads of Throstle clubs and events. I was a member of the Supporters Club and went to all the home games and most aways.
Like most clubs these days the club has sold it's soul for money.
The demolition of the Woodman, the closing of the Hawthorns Hotel and being charged to see a trophy we hadn't won for 90 years show what this club actually think of it's fans.
Bloody disgraceful behaviour. We don't count, only our money is of interest.

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General Football & Sports / Re: Dingle watch - Anything Wolves

« on: September 20, 2019, 12:00:35 PM »

If things turn worse for Nuno he can always get a tent on the Ring Road, mind you it will be an hard act to follow Wolverhamptons most famous resident.

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General Football & Sports / Re: Dingle watch - Anything Wolves

« on: September 20, 2019, 08:44:17 AM »

They have just released a book, Back Where We Belong, the timing couldn't be better.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: 9 Black Players starting yesterday

« on: September 04, 2019, 03:17:12 PM »

sorry but why even raise the point?

Exactly. The colour of a person is irrelevant to anyone who hasn't an agenda.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Oliver Burke

« on: August 30, 2019, 10:37:56 PM »

The jury is still out with me on Oli. Obviously has the talent but not the attitude. Reminds me a bit of Koumas but only a bit because Jason was far far more talented. But if the head isn't right no amount of game time will improve it.
I do hope for his own sake if for nothing else that he sorts it out.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Matty Phillips

« on: August 30, 2019, 10:34:29 PM »

Good to see a player of his quality committing himself to our club.  People should realise this and get off his back instead of moaning like they did with Brunt.

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General Football & Sports / Re: Sam Johnstone

« on: August 24, 2019, 05:50:11 PM »

But it’s only those who mention his weakness that are being unfair or daft?

Thought he had a good game today, more than the pen save I was really pleased to see him come and claim crosses, maybe he needed to get angry?

Maybe the criticism of him gave him a kick up the backside. But it can also destroy a players confidence. It can make him be fearful of making the tiniest error for fear of being slated.
Albion fans seem to have at least one first team player they love to hate.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: James Morrison

« on: August 23, 2019, 01:56:40 PM »

Totally agree about the quality and length of his service. Despite this though I firmly believe he was released at the right time. Measure the number of appearances in last 2 years against money paid to him and the reason is clear.

Yes, no problem with releasing him and i agree he should have been released a couple of seasons ago along with Brunt, even though they are my two favourite recent players. But as we have seen, players read social media and think fans are having a pop at them or are being ungrateful for their service. Been a good player, thanks but now do one is how it comes over.
The club is to blame for giving out contracts, Mozza and Brunty have always been loyal and renewed them, a case of damned if you do damned if you don't.
People keep telling me that WBA is a business and is run like one.
Why then do we keep resigning players who's best days are gone, or signing players who are past it and we aren't going to get any money off when it comes to selling. That isn't good business at all.
When i worked in engineering you didn't keep repairing old machines and buying obsolete ones.
Well actually my firm did, which is why i ended up on the council.

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General Football & Sports / Re: Sam Johnstone

« on: August 23, 2019, 12:13:01 PM »

I don't think Johnstone should be responding to fans on social media to be honest but I guess its hard when some have the agendas they do. Can see why they don't interact with fans much these days, not worth the hassle.

I totally agree with this. In the old days the tough managers like Shankly and Clough would never allow it and the players would be disciplined heavily. I don't think Megson would have put up with it.
But the world has changed and now we even have the  President of America tweeting about what he's going to do.
The internet is a wonderful thing but can also be dangerous when you get people without a brain going on it.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: James Morrison

« on: August 23, 2019, 12:08:42 PM »

Great servant and another all time club man imo. Another who became one of us. Yet also another many of our bus to catch so called supporters couldn't wait to be rid of.

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General Football & Sports / Re: Sam Johnstone

« on: August 22, 2019, 12:36:34 PM »

He isn't the best keeper we have had but he's not the worst. It was always gong to be hard following Foster.
Some people on FB couldn't wait to blame him for the goal last night, but i don't think there was much he could have done about it.
All keepers make mistakes, look at England keeper Butland's last night at Preston, if that had been Johnstone he would have been flayed alive.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Anyone Else Slightly Concerned??

« on: August 22, 2019, 12:32:32 PM »

I don't think Austin had any pre season games did he? If so he isn't up to pace yet.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Why did we play in yellow and green yesterday?

« on: August 22, 2019, 11:23:49 AM »

It wasn’t quite as black and white as you paint it.

Allen quit Albion, for more money, to Manage the Saudi Arabia national team. And he bought in players like Steve Mackenzie, Andy King, Romeo Zondervan who hardly covered themselves in glory during their time with the Albion.

Ron Atkinson got the best out of the players he inherited more so than the managers that bought them in.

No, Allen was never given a contract the first time around. We played Forest off the park at the City ground and Clough said it was a disgrace that a manager of Allens pedigree was working without a contract. This was put in the media and it wasn't long before the Arabs came calling.
Allen said he would sooner stay but without a contract he had to let his head overule his heart.
Allen was outspoken, and many of our board disliked him, the same thing happened to Allen as it did with Giles, both wanted more say in how the club was run, and that will never happen here as Megson found out as well.
Allen had to argue with the board for £5,000 to buy Regis.

The Wolves team that Bill McGarry had success with in the early 70's was largely built by Allen, the same as the Albion one that Big Ron professed to have built.
Allen would have played just the same sort of attacking football, it was in his DNA, more so really as Atkinson was a Dingle.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Anyone Else Slightly Concerned??

« on: August 22, 2019, 11:12:33 AM »

A new manager, basically a new team and new playing position.
On the plus side we are unbeaten in the league and in a play off position.
When Giles took over in the summer of 1975 we were bottom of the old second division at the end of September and put out of the League cup at home by Brighton who were a third division side.
That team got promoted but only scored about 51 goals.
We need to tighten our defence and with the creative players we have i am sure the goals will come.
I did say at the start of the season that it might take Bilic two seasons and we should have patience until we gel.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Why did we play in yellow and green yesterday?

« on: August 21, 2019, 07:44:49 PM »

Yes....Giles established a lot of that team, and let Robson off the leash at 17 (unlikely to happen nowadays). Fantastic days. Anyway...the green and yellow stripes are pretty much recognised as ours I'd have thought...but I think it should only be a 'change' kit in the event of a clash.

Yep, that's all i am saying, i have no problem with whatever our second strip is, but i would always hope to see us in our proper club strip unless circumstances dictate otherwise.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Why did we play in yellow and green yesterday?

« on: August 21, 2019, 05:14:03 PM »

The only decent player Atkinson bought was Batson, he inherited a very very good side that Giles, Allen and to some extent Howe had built.
The other signings he made Deehan, Miils, (he broke the British transfer record for him) Barnes, and Owen weren't as good as the players he let go.
Under his watch we lost Cantello, Cunningham, and he took Robson and Moses to United with him and also wanted Regis and Statham.
The bloke was all himself like Peace was, i hate him with a passion.
Ronnie Allen should have been given a contract in his first term here, he could spot a player, and he wouldn't have left here except in a box.

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General Football & Sports / Re: VAR

« on: August 20, 2019, 01:58:33 PM »

It's not VAR that's the problem, it's the officials who interpret it. A camera will only show what happens it doesn't decide what decision is then made.
If there had been VAR in our game against Rotherham in 2002 then we would have been promoted before the Palace game. It's frightening to think that "goal"  that was seen by everyone in the ground bar the referee could have cost us not only promotion but the last 17 years history.
Firmly for VAR me.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Why did we play in yellow and green yesterday?

« on: August 20, 2019, 01:50:22 PM »

They changed their socks to all white, that is all that was required.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Gareth Barry

« on: August 20, 2019, 01:48:44 PM »

The experience of Barry especially in this division cannot be understated, i am sure it will be important at some stage.
Also he will be a big influence on players training/playing alongside him.
I wonder if he is being targeted for a coaching career here?

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Why did we play in yellow and green yesterday?

« on: August 20, 2019, 01:45:03 PM »

I watched the Wolves game last night and Man Utd came out in home colours. Imagine all the poor sods who bought the away shirt.

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West Bromwich Albion FC / Re: Why did we play in yellow and green yesterday?

« on: August 20, 2019, 01:42:08 PM »

Those of us who were around in the late 70’s under Big Ron understand- quite simply it was breath taking football and the green and yellow epitomised the brand of football we played. The best time as an Albion fan.

The 60's were the best time to be an Albion fan, a team that won trophies and was always in the mix.