My first ever Albion match - Anybody else there?

[mickd1961]

I was stood with my mum, dad and brother in the Smethwick End because they were Leeds fans.

It was the day I fell in love with Albion and The Hawthorns, so much so I begged to come to the next match three days later when we beat Chelsea 4-0.

Anyone remember being at the Leeds match, the crowd was around 41,000 which you can tell by looking at the Brummie Rd and Woodman Corner.

https://youtu.be/SlR2ThOOTvY

[WBA1955]

I was at both games, I remember the Chelsea game.

[mickd1961]

I was at both games, I remember the Chelsea game.

We won 4-0 Des.

I remember the vast drop in crowd attendance between both matches, I think the Chelsea crowd was about half of the previous Saturday.

Just checked and the Chelsea crowd on a Thursday night ( most unusual to play Thursdays! ) was 18,489 which was around 23,000 less than the Leeds match on the Saturday previous.

Quite staggering.

[WBA1955]

As I recall back then we got 40,000+ for the likes of Manchester United, Wolves and Villa. Spurs, Arsenal and Leeds were 30-35,000. Chelsea, West Ham etc were about 20,-25,000.
Our lowest crowd was always Burnley 18-20,000.
I remember a fan coming up to me outside the ground against Valencia and asking where he had to go with his ticket. It was packed to the rafters.
I said if you came every week you would know wouldn't you.
I have mellowed a bit since then.😉

[WBA1955]

We won 4-0 Des.

I remember the vast drop in crowd attendance between both matches, I think the Chelsea crowd was about half of the previous Saturday.

Just checked and the Chelsea crowd on a Thursday night ( most unusual to play Thursdays! ) was 18,489 which was around 23,000 less than the Leeds match on the Saturday previous.

Quite staggering.

We struggled all season and went down the next. So probably a decent gate considering.
I wish it was cheaper and pay on the gate again.
Our Richard never stood on the terraces he said he would sooner have a seat.
I found it very hard to adjust, in fact I never did and the game with the media bias towards London clubs, plus the play acting by prima donna players, ridiculous kick off times and committing to a season ticket finally turned me away from the game.
I used to get a buzz before every game, butterflies in the stomach, I travelled all over the country and to Scotland with them. All that died years ago.
Sad really but I don't miss going at all, though I do watch every game on TV or listen to the radio.

[boingy]

I would have been there Mick. My first match was in 68. Man U.

[mickd1961]

I would have been there Mick. My first match was in 68. Man U.

I forgot you were older than me!😏

I look at crowds like that from 50 years ago and wonder how many of the people are now dead.

It’s weird to think that there’s probably some footage of me there as 10 year old and my parents at 36 and 33.

Everything we ever say or do is of do little consequence in reality.

[Dubbag]

It’s weird to think that there’s probably some footage of me there as 10 year old and my parents at 36 and 33.

Everything we ever say or do is of do little consequence in reality.

Depends on your view of reality Mick.
I think everything we do has big consequences in reality....Mans issues resolve around what he perceives as reality.

[boingy]

I forgot you were older than me!😏

I look at crowds like that from 50 years ago and wonder how many of the people are now dead.

It’s weird to think that there’s probably some footage of me there as 10 year old and my parents at 36 and 33.

Everything we ever say or do is of do little consequence in reality.

Why do you think I use a young fozzie avatar 🤣

[animallittle3]

The first FA cup final I can remember as a kid was in 1968 Albion v Everton .

I remember asking my old man who he thought would win and he said Everton so I shouted for Albion as you do as a 6 year old lad .

After the game we replayed it in our small back garden and I was Jeff Astle , he had an old trophy in the shed for something or other and I ran round the garden with it celebrating like the Albion players had done .

We once were walking towards the away turnstiles at the Hawthorns , probably late 80's .

Driving past us was the man himself Jeff Astle in a white escort van , the only reason I knew it was him was because it has the name of his business on the side of it , could have been a cleaning business or something like that .

I thought even though I'm not an Albion fan you've no idea that you were my first football hero and I thought about shaking his hand and telling him but I bottled it for some reason .

Amazing the early impressions football has on you from such a young age .

I reckon if my old man wasn't such a Barnsley fanatic and took me to Oakwell I reckon I could easily have been an Albion fan .