[seteefeet]

I was the only sensible one from a family of Stoke fans!!!
My dad moved down from Stoke, settled in Tipton and had me (too late for my older brothers, poor souls), I just loved football and fell in love with the team of the 70's. Dad started taking me with a few of his Baggies mates and I was hooked. First game 1978, need I say more?

Loved it and hated it in equal measure every since but wouldn't have it any other way.

[Droitwich Baggie]

Born and bred down Halfords Lane, by the junction of Oxford Road. The estate? (a lot of 2 bedroomed terraced houses) was known as "The Barracks" opposite Hopes' Glass Works.

[tommcneill]

Runs in the family, the family support started with the formation of the club, family from Warley, Bearwood and Smethwick area so they knew the players back then.

An old Auntie used to date Teddy Sandford.

Its runs in the family and has done for generations and will continue too.

Only blot on the copybook was Great Uncle Fred, he was a Vile supporter, rest of the family used to give him stick over it all the time.

[bigcyrille]

Nice to see the resurrection of this 2011 thread!

My old man was born in Wrexham and came to West Bromwich when he was around 8/9. He used to go every week to The Hawthorns during the 50's and 60's. Went to the Cup Finals. He's 80 now and still lives and breathes The Baggies. Like many where it's passed down, there was no choice made by myself. I was born Blue and White. Same with my twin daughters, they are 10 now and go "urghh" when they see anyone wearing the W*lves badge! Chips off the old block       

[SmethDan]

Born and bred down Halfords Lane, by the junction of Oxford Road. The estate? (a lot of 2 bedroomed terraced houses) was known as "The Barracks" opposite Hopes' Glass Works.

Henry Hope and Sons were a bit more than a glassworks......

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Hope_%26_Sons_Ltd

http://www.hevac-heritage.org/victorian_engineers/hope/hope.htm

...... a little light reading  .

[Droitwich Baggie]

Henry Hope and Sons were a bit more than a glassworks......

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Hope_%26_Sons_Ltd

http://www.hevac-heritage.org/victorian_engineers/hope/hope.htm

...... a little light reading

Thank you, very interesting.
I was 9 years old when we left Smethwick and moved to Handsworth. We lived just down the road from Bobby Robson.

[BigFrank20]

Grand parents, and so by default me dad, lived over the road from the Blue Gates Smethwick high street so there was never ever going to be any other outcome than me being a lifelong Baggie

[skyclad99]

I remember posting this a few years ago, but here is my reason;

When I was 5 I went to school and was quite surprised to find other folk there my age. I was just getting used to my classroom surroundings when one day' just before class a kid called Steven Bishop came over to the  group I was with and asked this one kid who he supported, 'Aston Villa' he said and Bishop promptly punched him in the face. He went to the next kid and asked the same question, 'Birmingham City' was the response, and more mindless violence ensued. By this time my rear was twitching like a rabbits nose when the lad next to me received the potentially fatal question, 'West Bromwich Albion' he mumbled, and with that Steve Bishop greeted him like a long lost brother. My turn next, and being sharp as a tack and witnessing the previous carnage, I blurted out 'West Bromwich Albion' and momentarily waited for my not so unexpected encounter with his fist, which didn't happen.

We were firm friends that day but I had to go home and ask my family who West Bromwich Albion were, which did not go down well with a load of bluenoses.......

So here I am 

[Droitwich Baggie]

Grand parents, and so by default me dad, lived over the road from the Blue Gates Smethwick high street so there was never ever going to be any other outcome than me being a lifelong Baggie

My sister used to live at number 12 Stony Lane.

[ex coseley kid]

Some of these stories are just ace. It's what it is all about too despite all the business rubbish going on right now.

I am sure I've told my tale on here, but I left the Midlands when my parents moved to Fleetwood in 1967 to run a hotel... a brave move and one that was really fun for me between the ages of 2 and a half to 10 years old.

But our family were incredibly close back then and the Black Country lot would visit frequently and we did likewise. My grandad George was an ardent Baggie and despite my mum's side of the family being all Wolves (I know, bloody West Side Story) dad's side won hands down with us lot. Thanks to my grandad I saw my first match when I was about three years old, not as cool as our kid who used to be allowed to sit on the trainer's bench (prior to leaving Coseley). My nan May was secretary of the fan club of the time for a while and I have a newspaper clipping of them boarding a coach to go to the 54 Cup Final. My cousin Doug has his ticket in his wallet.

Grandad died in 1980, aged 80, and he never lost his passion for the Baggies. I've thought about him a lot this week - his birthday was 6th October - and I wonder what him, my dad and brother would be thinking of the state our business side is in right now. No matter what though, they'd be behind them. Same here. Can't do anything else.

[AlbionFan]

My Nan lived in Hales Cresent, Derek “The Tank” Kevan, lodged a couple of doors away with her neighbour.

[Baggie Pete]

In the late 1960's the M5 was completed from the midlands down towards Bristol where I lived. A neighbour talked about all roads leading to the Hawthorns and on Easter Monday in 1970 my neighbour took me to the Hawthorns to see Albion and the King demolish Chelsea 3-1. I was at primary school at the time and despite previously seeing both Bristol clubs it totally changed my life as there was just no comparison to Eastville or Ashton Gate. Since then Albion have near dictated my life. Roll forward a few years and I applied to go to university. Why Aston was the first question I was asked in 1977? Well it was the nearest university to the Albion ground I replied. Then the senior lecture left the interview room with me to take me to the top of the highest building on the campus, some 20 floors up. There is the blues ground he pointed out, then Villa Park, finally on the horizon the Shrine. Get specific grades I was told and I was in.

50 years later after first seeing Albion, and university at Aston, I still live for the Albion but now live much closer.

When asked why the Albion? I always claim to be a glory hunter, this is true if you compare our fortunes with Bristol Rovers or City!

[Westie]

I grew up, from age 7, in Halesowen, before that we lived in Erdington but fortunately my Dad hated football, he was a rugby man. I was incarcerated in a rugby playing boarding school until I was 16, so had no contact with football. A neighbour in Halesowen was an Albion season ticket holder and one day he asked me something about football and when I replied that I had never been to a game, he said “Right, we’ll put that right on Saturday”! He took me to The Hawthorns and I was hooked, that was 1963. Lucky me, had my Dad been into football, back in the early years of my life in Erdington, I may well have taken to Vile Park!

[FallOutBoy]

My Dad is an Albion fan, his Dad was an Albion fan, his whole family are Albion.

My Mom and her Dad were both Walsall, but most of her family (including my Uncle) are Wolves.

I support Albion because my Dad got me to a game first, and I was hooked from the first moment. Even when it's awful, it's still good just being there. We've had so many great moments, I can't really imagine supporting anyone else.

If I'd gone to the Wolves first, maybe I'd have followed them. But I have a feeling I wouldn't have felt the same (and I couldn't have taken my Dad rubbing it in after every Black Country derby anyway).

[WBAinDEVON]

because i was born in West Bromwich and wasn't influenced by Liverpool on  the tv growing up

[SmethDan]

I grew up, from age 7, in Halesowen, before that we lived in Erdington but fortunately my Dad hated football........ Lucky me, had my Dad been into football, back in the early years of my life in Erdington, I may well have taken to Vile Park!

I grew up in Smethwick before we moved to the outskirts of Oldbury. Our family were all Albion. My lad grew up in Erdington with an Albion supporting dad. He was given a choice between supporting West Bromwich Albion, Albion or the Baggies. He chose wisely. He's luckier than he'll ever know that his dad is an Albion supporter from Smethwick, I saved him from 'those'.

[the other AJ]

My Grandad Harry lived in Hayes Street in West Bromwich, his Dad apparently passed away during a game at the Hawthorns - must have been a bad game or a sign that Pulis would one day serve up his brand of football in the future......

Anyway, Harry and Mary had 4 children, 2 of each, all staunch Albion fans and my Mom met my Dad who’s from Oldbury ( after dating one of the Albion players in the 60’s prior! )
They got married in 1969 and moved to Kingswinford outside Stourbridge before again moving to Wombourne in South Staffs in what is largely Dingle territory. So I grew up in the 80’s as the middle of 5 children all supporting the Albion and the only fans in a 750 strong comprehensive in Wolverhampton. Never wavered. Character building stuff. First game was Wolves at home in ‘83 when we lost 3-1 and they stormed the bottom of the Brummie after HT, where I used to stand on the concrete bund wall and watch the game through the caged fence with the other Albion kids.

Did the teenage and my 20’s Albion games, Charlton in the cup 1990 and the puddle goal, 30,000 against Stoke and Everton, ,91 relegation, Wembley 93, Pompey away 94 to stay up ....
Fast forward to 2011 and emigrated to Australia with the wife and my 2 boys, who stay up/ get up to watch every game on TV with me.
It’s in the blood. ATID

[chippyclarke]

I'm 71, supported Albion since seeing them on TV against Honved (?) in 1958 and the picture of Ronnie Allen in beautiful blue and white stripes in my brother's football annual and the wonderful name West Bromwich Albion. Hadn't a clue where they came from as I lived in Guildford, Surrey.  The great night at Upton Park in '66 in the League Cup Final and then the dismay at Wembley v QPR '67 and City '70 Finals. Only saw them when playing in London and then in '73 actually got to the shrine! Great memories of trips around the country and never even thought of packing them in during the bad times. Took my 4 yr old son to his first game at Millwall in '93 - thought I wouldn't get attacked if I had him with me! He's now a true Baggie and both go to games when we can.

[glosterbaggie]

My Dad was a toolmaker we lived in Penn. Dad and Mom wanted to run a pub. Globe in Tamworth then to the Nelson in Halesowen. Dad not a big football fan but the supporters club Chaired by the late Mr Don Beddard used to meet up in the Nelson and Don asked if I would like to go to a game. Hooked that was 67.

[Cardiaccarol]

My dad took me when I was about 6or7.

I don’t remember asking to go and my dad didn’t go regularly (although he did as a kid)

Sat in the old rainbow stand and we played Blackpool. Instantly fell in love with the ground / crowd.  I don’t Remember  the game but the love has never gone away

I don’t much like football - only the albion. I love everything about going. The anxiety in the build up. Prematch in the sportsman. The row in front and behind and either side of my seat. I’ve seen so many kids grow up around me over the years and it is another family. I miss all of em