Big Sam's press conference

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Originally Posted by WBA1955

I was working in Heath Town Park one day in the nineties with my Albion scarf on, and this older bloke came past walking his dog.
He said your team isn't doing very well is it?
We started talking about your dad and how he was discovered by Albion playing on the park. He pointed out the house he lived in.
He said what a good player Johnny Nicholls was and how he played for England.
As he walked away he said, not good enough to play for the Wolves though.
That's the sort of banter and pride that makes the rivalry so special.
Strangely enough the fifties were the only decade when both Albion and Wolves had two top teams at the same time. It's always been one or the other who has turns at being top dogs.
But the 90's were the only decade Albion didn't grace the top flight, and the only one where we played lower than the second tier.
The rebirth and rise of the club with no financial backing is nothing short of miraculous.
This season is our 14th in the top flight against all the odds, what a club. I don't know how many would manage that with no funds.

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Thanks for that 55 nice story, dad told me once he did play a practice game for wolves but Mr Cullis wrote a letter to my grandad to say that they wouldn't be needing to see him again , anyway a few weeks after that he played a game for us which we won 11:0 apparently & dad scored 9 to cut to the long & short of this story he signed for WBA after he signed Wolves came Back for him but all to late , & I have seen that second letter I actually have it somewhere,

Me too as a kid Albion one Saturday Wolves the next. Walsall sometimes mid week as well. Away games at Villa, Blues and Coventry as well. Then add Boldmere St Michael. Where did i get the time and pocket money i now ask myself.

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Originally Posted by WBA1955

I can't understand the small mindedness of some fan's regarding who a player or manager supports.

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At the end of the day it's a profession for them so who they support shouldn't come in to it.

I have a friend who works at the Albion. Apparently the club has had a very large number of very abusive and I mean VERY ABUSIVE emails about this appointment. I heard a few examples and it really makes you wonder about what goes on with some people.

I agree with the majority of comments on here about Bilic and liked the chap but crap owners aside, we are where we are which was heading down. If Sam keeps us up so be it. Who he supports is neither here nor there as its all about results and bonuses for him which it should be.

I still can't believe with the disaster that has been 2020, people are putting the importance on this that they are and emailing threats and abuse the way they have. Whatever happened to a sense of perspective eh?

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Originally Posted by Johnny on the spot 1

Thanks for that 55 nice story, dad told me once he did play a practice game for wolves but Mr Cullis wrote a letter to my grandad to say that they wouldn't be needing to see him again , anyway a few weeks after that he played a game for us which we won 11:0 apparently & dad scored 9 to cut to the long & short of this story he signed for WBA after he signed Wolves came Back for him but all to late , & I have seen that second letter I actually have it somewhere,

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Looking at his playing record your dad had a fantastic strike rate of almost a goal every two games in the top flight between 1951 and 1957 JOTS.

He averaged over 22 goals per season during the same era Derek Kevan was scoring at a rate of over a goal every two games as was Ronnie Allen........your old man must’ve been one hell of a player to have been a regular during his time there.

My dad played against Derek Kevan in a schools match when they were both 14 years old, dad was a Harrogate lad and Derek was 5 miles up the road in Ripon.

Dad was a very good schoolboy player but his side lost 7-0 and he said the difference was purely Kevan who scored all 7 goals.

I noticed that your dad did great things at Albion over a 6 year period but dropped away very quickly after the age of 26 and was playing for Sankey’s by the time he was 30.

Was this due to injuries etc?

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Originally Posted by mickd1961

Looking at his playing record your dad had a fantastic strike rate of almost a goal every two games in the top flight between 1951 and 1957 JOTS.

He averaged over 22 goals per season during the same era Derek Kevan was scoring at a rate of over a goal every two games as was Ronnie Allen........your old man must’ve been one hell of a player to have been a regular during his time there.

My dad played against Derek Kevan in a schools match when they were both 14 years old, dad was a Harrogate lad and Derek was 5 miles up the road in Ripon.

Dad was a very good schoolboy player but his side lost 7-0 and he said the difference was purely Kevan who scored all 7 goals.

I noticed that your dad did great things at Albion over a 6 year period but dropped away very quickly after the age of 26 and was playing for Sankey’s by the time he was 30.

Was this due to injuries etc?

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I honestly don't know Mick , but thank you for the kind words 🙏

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Originally Posted by Johnny on the spot 1

I always found that puzzling but I to did used to got to wolves & Albion as a kid as I live in Wolverhampton, But one day I stopped going to wolves & been an Albion fan ever since strange ,

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I don't find it strange that you finally supported the Baggies as your dad was one of the greats in probably the best Albion side, not only in my lifetime, but possibly in the history of the club.

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Originally Posted by Leicesterbaggie

I don't find it strange that you finally supported the Baggies as your dad was one of the greats in probably the best Albion side, not only in my lifetime, but possibly in the history of the club.

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OK i get it ,
But I was Born in Wolverhampton
Lived here all my life
Went to school in Wolverhampton
Played for Wolverhampton school Town team & Wolverhampton Boys club town team played Cricket for teams in Wolverhampton, & support Baggies 110% ALBION
A little strange ,

Albion one week. Albion reserves the next.

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Originally Posted by boingy

Albion one week. Albion reserves the next.

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Used to love go to the Central league games and halftime looking at the scoreboard to see how the ist team was doing, used to get 2 to 3k supporters aswell for some games.

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Originally Posted by stripes39

At the end of the day it's a profession for them so who they support shouldn't come in to it.

I have a friend who works at the Albion. Apparently the club has had a very large number of very abusive and I mean VERY ABUSIVE emails about this appointment. I heard a few examples and it really makes you wonder about what goes on with some people.

I agree with the majority of comments on here about Bilic and liked the chap but crap owners aside, we are where we are which was heading down. If Sam keeps us up so be it. Who he supports is neither here nor there as its all about results and bonuses for him which it should be.

I still can't believe with the disaster that has been 2020, people are putting the importance on this that they are and emailing threats and abuse the way they have. Whatever happened to a sense of perspective eh?

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Perspective went out of the window when someone had a coughing fit, passed their germs on, died and in turn the person they passed their germs to died as well after infecting others. And so the cycle continued.

People are frustrated by what's going on around them. Bilic was and is a very popular and charismatic man and Luke Dowling is perceived to have shot Bambi in the back of the head.

2020 is not my worst year, not by a long stretch. But as a year it still sucks dead dogs dicks. Slaven's sacking has angered many but it's also given them a focus for their frustrations on a more local level. The club, and Mr Lai in particular, have provided the targets. Itself and the Humongous One.

Personally speaking although I've never met Slaven I get the impression he's a decent fella. But I've got different priorities to those who wish to send abusive emails over the sacking of a multi millionaire with a gorgeous Mrs waiting for him at home, whilst many live in poverty or choke to death on their own bodily fluids.

That's perspective.