West Bromwich Albion F.C. facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
West Bromwich Albion

Full name	West Bromwich Albion Football Club
Nickname(s)	The Baggies The Throstles The Albion
Short name	WBA West Brom Albion
Founded	1878; 147 years ago (1878)
Ground	The Hawthorns
Ground Capacity	26,850
Owner	Bilkul Football WBA
Chairman	Shilen Patel
Manager	Carlos Corberán
League	Championship
2018–19	Championship, 4th of 24
Home colours Away colours Third colours

West Bromwich Albion Football Club, often called West Brom or The Albion, is a professional association football team. They are based in West Bromwich, England. The club plays in the EFL Championship, which is the second-highest football league in England. West Brom was started in 1878. Their home stadium, The Hawthorns, has been used since 1900.

Albion was one of the first teams to join the Football League in 1888. This was the world's first professional football league. The club has spent most of its history in England's top football division. They have played there for 82 seasons. Most recently, they were in the Premier League in 2021. West Brom has won the English league title once, in 1919–20. They finished second twice, in 1924–25 and 1953–54.

The team has reached the FA Cup final ten times. They have won the FA Cup five times. Their first win was in 1888, the same year the league began. They also won in 1892, 1931, 1954, and 1968. The 1968 FA Cup was their last major trophy. Albion also won the Football League Cup in 1966. They reached two more League Cup finals. The club stayed in the top division for 24 years straight, from 1949 to 1973. Their longest time outside the top division was from 1986 to 2002.

The team's uniform has been navy blue and white stripes for most of its history. The club's badge shows a throstle (a type of bird) sitting on a hawthorn branch. West Brom has long-standing rivalries with local teams. These include Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers. The game against Wolverhampton Wanderers is called the Black Country derby.

Club History: From Start to Now

How West Bromwich Albion Started (1878–1950)

The club began in 1878 as West Bromwich Strollers. Workers from George Salter's Spring Works in West Bromwich formed the team. In 1880, they changed their name to West Bromwich Albion. They were the first team to use the "Albion" part in their name. Albion was an area in West Bromwich where some players lived.

In 1881, the club joined the Birmingham & District Football Association. They played in their first competition, the Birmingham Cup. They made it to the quarter-finals, beating older clubs. In 1883, Albion won their first trophy, the Staffordshire Cup. That same year, they joined the Football Association. This let them play in the FA Cup for the first time in 1883–84.

In 1885, the club became professional. In 1886, they reached the FA Cup final for the first time. They lost 2–0 to Blackburn Rovers in a replay. They reached the final again in 1887, but lost 2–0 to Aston Villa. In 1888, the team won the trophy for the first time. They beat strong favorites Preston North End 2–1 in the final. As FA Cup winners, they played against Scottish Cup winners Renton. This was for a "Football World Championship" game, which they lost 4–1.

In March 1888, William McGregor asked top English teams, including Albion, to form a league. This league would have clubs play each other home and away every season. So, when the Football League started later that year, Albion was one of the twelve founding members. Albion won their second FA Cup in 1892, beating Aston Villa 3–0. They played Villa again in the 1895 final, but lost 1–0.

The team was moved down to Division Two in 1900–01. This was their first season at The Hawthorns. They were promoted as champions the next season. But they were moved down again in 1903–04. The club won the Division Two championship again in 1910–11. The next season, they reached another FA Cup Final. They lost to Second Division Barnsley in a replay.

Albion won the Football League title in 1919–20. This was their only league title ever. They scored 104 goals and earned 60 points. Both of these broke previous league records. The team finished second in Division One in 1924–25. They just missed out on winning against Huddersfield Town. But they were moved down in 1926–27.

In 1930–31, they won promotion and the FA Cup. They beat Birmingham 2–1 in the final. Winning both the FA Cup and promotion in the same year has not happened since. Albion reached the final again in 1935, losing to Sheffield Wednesday. But they were moved down three years later. They were promoted in 1948–49. This started the club's longest time in the top league, which lasted 24 years.

Ups and Downs: Success and Challenges (1950–1992)

In 1953–54, Albion almost won both the League and Cup. They did win the FA Cup, beating Preston North End 3–2. But injuries and poor form meant they finished second in the league. Their rivals, Wolverhampton Wanderers, won the league. Still, Albion was known for their exciting, attacking football. The 1953–54 team was called the "Team of the Century." One newspaper even suggested the whole team should play for England in the 1954 FIFA World Cup.

They stayed a top English team for the rest of the 1950s. They reached the FA Cup semi-final in 1957. They also finished in the top five of Division One for three years in a row. This was from 1957–58 to 1959–60.

In the 1960s, their league performance was not as good. But in the second half of the decade, West Brom became known as a strong cup team. Albion first played in the Football League Cup in 1965–66. Under manager Jimmy Hagan, they won the final. They beat West Ham United 5–3 over two games. This was the last final played over two legs. The next year, Albion reached the final again. This was the first final played at Wembley. They lost 3–2 to Third Division Queens Park Rangers. They had been leading 2–0 at half-time.

Albion's good cup form continued with the next manager, Alan Ashman. He led the club to their most recent major trophy, the 1968 FA Cup. They beat Everton in extra time. The winning goal came from Jeff Astle. Albion reached the FA Cup semi-final and European Cup Winners Cup quarter-final in 1969. They lost 2–1 to Manchester City in the 1970 League Cup Final.

The club did not do as well under Don Howe. They were moved down to Division Two at the end of 1972–73. But they were promoted three years later with player-manager Johnny Giles. Under Ron Atkinson, Albion reached the 1978 FA Cup semi-final. They lost to Ipswich Town. In May of that year, Albion became the first English professional team to play in China. They did not lose any of their five games there.

In 1978–79, the team finished third in Division One. This was their highest finish in over 20 years. They also reached the UEFA Cup quarter-final. They were beaten by Red Star Belgrade. This team was famous for having three black players at the same time: Cyrille Regis, Laurie Cunningham, and Brendon Batson. They helped black footballers be accepted in English leagues.

In his second time as manager, Ronnie Allen led the team to both domestic cup semi-finals in 1981–82. The mid-1980s saw Albion start a long decline. They were moved down in 1985–86 with their worst record ever. This began 16 years outside the top league. Five years later, the club was moved down to the Third Division for the first and only time.

Recent Years: Back to the Top (1992–Present)

West Bromwich Albion had spent most of its history in England's top football league. But when the Premier League started in 1992, the club was in the third division. This was renamed Division Two. In 1992–93, Albion finished fourth. They entered the play-offs for the first time. Albion's first game at Wembley in over 20 years was also their last at the old stadium. They beat Port Vale 3–0 to return to the second level, now called the First Division.

Manager Ossie Ardiles then left for Tottenham Hotspur. Several managers followed over the next few seasons. Albion stayed in Division One but did not seriously challenge for promotion.

The arrival of Gary Megson in March 2000 improved the club's luck. Megson kept Albion safe in Division One in 1999–2000. A year later, he led them to the play-offs. He then led the club to promotion to the Premier League in 2001–02. After being moved down in their first Premier League season, they returned to the top league right away in 2003–04.

In 2004–05, Megson's replacement, former Albion player Bryan Robson, led the team to a "Great Escape." Albion became the first Premier League club to avoid being moved down after being last at Christmas. They were also last on the final day of the season. They could not avoid being moved down the next season. Robson was replaced by Tony Mowbray in October 2006. The club played in the Championship play-off final at Wembley Stadium on May 28, 2007. They lost 1–0 to Derby County.

The next season, Mowbray led the Baggies to Wembley again. This time it was for the FA Cup semi-finals. They lost 1–0 to Portsmouth. One month later, Albion was promoted to the Premier League as Championship winners. But they were moved down at the end of the 2008–09 season. Mowbray left and was replaced by Roberto Di Matteo. He led the club back to the Premier League on his first try. But he was fired in February 2011 and replaced by Roy Hodgson.

Hodgson led Albion to an 11th-place finish in the 2010–11 season. Then, they had eight continuous seasons in the Premier League. This included an 8th-place finish in 2012–13 under Steve Clarke. They also finished 10th under Roy Hodgson in 2011–12 and Tony Pulis in 2016–17.

In August 2016, it was announced that long-time owner Jeremy Peace sold the club. A Chinese investment group led by Guochuan Lai bought it. By this time, the club started to struggle. They were moved down at the end of the 2017–18 season. This ended their eight-year Premier League stay. Pulis and his replacement Alan Pardew were both fired during the season.

Albion finished fourth in their first season back in the Championship. This was under manager Darren Moore. They lost the Championship play-off semi-final on penalties. Slaven Bilić became manager on June 13, 2019. He led Albion to automatic promotion back to the Premier League in the 2019–20 season. Back in the Premier League, Bilić was fired on December 16, 2020. Sam Allardyce was named his replacement the same day. After Albion was moved down from the Premier League at the end of the 2020–21 season, Allardyce resigned.

The club had disappointing results back in the Championship. This was during the times of Valérien Ismaël and Steve Bruce. Bruce left the club in the relegation spots in the 2022–23 season. Former Marcelo Bielsa assistant Carlos Corberán became manager on October 25, 2022. He led Albion to a 5th-place finish and the play-off semi-finals at the end of the 2023-24 season.

In February 2024, the English Football League approved a new owner. American businessman Shilen Patel took over the club.

Club Badge and Team Colors

The Club Badge

Albion's main club badge has been around since the late 1880s. Club secretary Tom Smith suggested using a throstle (a song thrush bird) sitting on a crossbar. The badge has changed over time. It always has a throstle, usually on a blue and white striped shield. The crossbar was later changed to a hawthorn branch after the club moved to the Hawthorns.

The throstle was chosen because the pub where the team used to change had a pet thrush in a cage. This also led to Albion's early nickname, the Throstles. Hawthorn bushes are also a favorite of throstles. These birds were often seen on the land before the stadium was built. In the 1930s, a caged throstle was even placed by the field during games. People said it only sang if Albion was winning! In 1979, a model of a throstle was put above the scoreboard at the Hawthorns. It was put back in the same area after the stadium was rebuilt in the early 2000s.

In 1975, a version of the badge was approved. It showed a "mistle thrush perched on a raspberry branch." This is the only time the branch was called a raspberry branch instead of a hawthorn branch.

The badge was redesigned in 2006. It included the club's name for the first time. The new design aimed to protect the club's identity. Before this, the main club badge rarely appeared on the team's shirts. No badge was on the kit for most of the club's history. However, the Stafford knot was on the jerseys in the 1880s. The West Bromwich town arms were worn on players' shirts for the 1931, 1935, and 1954 FA Cup finals. The town's Latin saying, "Labor omnia vincit", means "work conquers all." The town arms were used again as the shirt badge from 1994 to 2000. The throstle was moved to the collar of the shirts.

Albion's first regular shirt badge appeared in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It was blue. It had the throstle but not the blue and white striped shield. A similar design was used in the late 1980s and early 1990s. In the mid-1970s, a more abstract throstle was on the shirts. From the late 1970s to mid-1980s, an embroidered WBA logo was used. This was a common short form of the club's name. The full club badge did not appear on the team's shirts until the early 2000s.

Team Colors

Albion's strip from 1882 to 1883. This was one of many designs in the 1880s.

Albion's common away colors in the late 20th and early 21st century.

West Brom has worn navy blue and white striped shirts for most of its history. They usually have white shorts and white socks. Supporters sometimes call the team the Stripes. In the club's early years, they tried different colors. These included red and blue quarters, yellow and white quarters, and chocolate and blue halves. Red and white hoops, and chocolate and white were also used.

The blue and white stripes first appeared in the 1885–86 season. At that time, the blue was lighter. The navy blue stripes appeared after World War I. During World War II, Albion had to wear all-blue shirts. This was because of rationing, which meant striped material was a luxury.

Like all football clubs, Albion has a second "change" uniform. They wear this when playing away against a team with similar colors. As early as the 1890s, they wore white jerseys with black shorts. The away shirt also had a large 'V' during World War I. In the 1935 FA Cup Final, both Albion and Sheffield Wednesday's kits clashed. So, Albion switched to plain navy blue shirts.

An all-red uniform was used in the late 1950s. But it was dropped after losing the 1967 League Cup Final. It was replaced by an all-white design for the club's FA Cup run of 1967–68. Since then, the away uniform has changed often. Yellow and green stripes have been common. In the 1990s and 2000s, a third kit was sometimes used.

Albion players first wore numbers on their shirts in the 1939–40 season. Names were added to the back of their shirts from 1999–2000. Red numbers were added to the side of Albion players' shorts in 1969.

Kit Sponsors

BSR Housewares was the club's first shirt sponsor in the 1981–82 season. The club's shirts have been sponsored most of the time since then. However, there was no shirt sponsor at the end of the 1993–94 season. This was after a local law firm closed down. It was unusual for a Premier League club to start the 2008–09 season without a shirt sponsor. This was because talks with a new sponsor were still happening. The longest shirt sponsorship deal lasted seven seasons. It was from 1997 to 2004 with the West Bromwich Building Society. Today, the club's main sponsor is Ideal Heating.

Since June 2024, West Brom's kit has been made by Macron. Before that, other companies made their kits. These included Scoreline, Influence, Pelada, Patrick, Diadora, Umbro, Adidas, and Puma.

Period	Kit manufacturer	Shirt sponsor
1974–1981	Umbro	—
1981–1982		BSR
1982–1984		Swan
1984–1986		No Smoking
1986–1989		Apollo/Apollo 2000
1989–1990	Scoreline
1990–1991		Sandwell Council
1991–1992	Influence
1992–1993	Albion Collection
1993–1994	Pelada	Coucher & Shaw
1994–1995		Guest Motors
1995–1997	Patrick
1997–2002		West Bromwich Building Society
2002–2003	The Baggies
2003–2004	Diadora
2004–2006		T-Mobile
2006–2008	Umbro
2008–2009		—
2009–2010		—
2010–2011		HomeServe
2011–2012	Adidas	bodog
2012–2014		Zoopla
2014–2015		QuickBooks
2015–2016		TLCBET
2016–2017		K8
2017–2018		Palm Eco-Town Development
2018–2024	Puma	Ideal Heating (Groupe Atlantic)
2024–	Macron

The Hawthorns: West Brom's Home Stadium

The club grew so fast that it needed four different grounds in its first seven years. First was Cooper's Hill (1878-1879). Then they used Cooper's Hill and Dartmouth Park (1879-1881). From 1881-1882, they played at Bunn's Field. This was their first enclosed ground, allowing them to charge for entry. It held 1,500 to 2,000 people.

From 1882 to 1885, Albion rented the Four Acres ground. But they quickly outgrew it. From 1885 to 1900, Albion played at Stoney Lane. This was a very successful time for the club. They won the FA Cup twice and were runners-up three times.

By 1900, the club needed an even bigger ground. So, they moved to their current home, The Hawthorns. All their past grounds were near West Bromwich town center. But this new site was on the border with Handsworth and Smethwick. The stadium was named after the hawthorn bushes that grew there. Albion played their first match at the Hawthorns on September 3, 1900. They drew 1–1 with Derby County.

The most people ever at the Hawthorns was on March 6, 1937. A crowd of 64,815 watched Albion beat Arsenal 3–1 in the FA Cup quarter-final. In the 1990s, the Hawthorns became an all-seater stadium. This was to follow safety rules. Today, it holds 26,688 people. The four stands are called the Birmingham Road End, Smethwick End, East Stand, and West Stand (Halfords Lane). At 551 feet (168 m) above sea level, the Hawthorns is the highest stadium in the top English leagues.

The Hawthorns has a top-quality pitch. This means it can host almost any competition. The West Stand could be made bigger. This would add an upper level and bring the stadium's capacity to about 30,000.

West Bromwich Albion owns shops around The Hawthorns. This includes their Stadium Megastore. They also own the old Hawthorns Pub. This building is special and is behind the West Stand. It serves as the official club fanzone. It has bars, live music, and activities for kids. It also shares space with a food outlet. The pub competes with The Vine pub, which is popular with both home and away fans. {{wide image|The Hawthorns 2013-12-21.jpg|900px|align-cap=center|A wide view of The Hawthorns, West Bromwich Albion F.C.'s home.]]

West Brom Supporters

The Lord's my Shepherd, I'll not want.

He makes me down to lie

In pastures green; he leadeth me

The quiet waters by.

Fan Culture

The official West Bromwich Albion Supporters Club started on October 4, 1951. Since then, over 30 branches have opened in the UK. There are also international branches in places like Jersey, Ireland, Spain, and Australia. There are also supporter groups for people with disabilities, for mental health support, Punjabi fans, and LGBT people.

Albion's "club anthem" is The Lord's my Shepherd. This song started after a rare Sunday game in the 1970s. It has been sung at matches ever since. Supporters celebrate goals by jumping up and down and chanting "Boing Boing." This started in the 1992–93 season when the team was promoted. The exact reason for the chant is not clear. The Liquidator by the Harry J. Allstars is also played and sung to. The reggae song "West Bromwich Albion" by Ray King is another club anthem played before games. In recent years, fans have dressed up for the final away match of each season. For example, in 2004, they dressed as Vikings for Player of the Season Thomas Gaardsøe.

In 2002–03, Albion's fans were voted the best in the Premier League. In a BBC "national intelligence test" in 2002, Albion fans were found to be "smarter than any other football supporters." They had an average score of 138.

Famous fans include goalkeepers Aaron Ramsdale and Ben Foster. Comedian Frank Skinner, TV presenter Adrian Chiles, and One Direction singer Liam Payne are also fans. Other famous supporters include comedian Lenny Henry, actress Julie Walters, The Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, and tennis players Ann Jones and Goran Ivanišević. DJ Dave Haslam, boxers Richie Woodhall and Tommy Langford, and guitarist Eric Clapton also support the team.

Club Publications

The club has published an official matchday programme since 1905. It was called Albion News for many years. It was renamed Albion from 2002–03 until 2013, when it went back to Albion News. It won Premier League Programme of the Year in 2002–03. It also won Third Division Programme of the Year in 1991–92. In 2007–08, it was named Championship Programme of the Year. More than 8,000 copies are sold.

The first West Bromwich Albion fanzine, Fingerpost, was published from 1983 to 1992. Others followed, like Grorty Dick (1989–2005) and Last Train to Rolfe Street (1992–1995). Since Grorty Dick stopped in 2005, the club only has one fanzine now. It is called 'Baggie Shorts' and is made by the West Bromwich Albion Supporters' Club London Branch.

"The Baggies" Nickname

In their early days, the club was known as "the Throstles". But the nickname the Baggies became more popular. The club did not like this name for many years, but later accepted it. The name was first heard at the Hawthorns in the 1900s. Its exact origin is not certain.

One idea is that rivals from Aston Villa gave Albion fans the name. This was because of the large, baggy trousers many Albion fans wore for work. These trousers protected them from hot metal in factories. However, club historian Tony Matthews thinks it came from the "bagmen." These people carried the club's money from the turnstiles in big leather bags. Other ideas relate to the baggy shorts worn by some players in the club's early years. The official club mascots are Baggie Bird and Albi. Both are based on the throstle from the club badge.

Rivalries: Who West Brom Plays Against

Albion's biggest rivals were historically Aston Villa from nearby Birmingham. The two clubs played in three FA Cup Finals between 1887 and 1895. Villa won two, and Albion won one. More recently, some Albion fans see Wolverhampton Wanderers as their main rivals. This is because Albion and Villa were not in the same division between 1989 and 2002. But Albion and Wolves were in the same division for 11 out of 14 seasons. This has led Aston Villa fans to see Birmingham City as their main rivals. A smaller rivalry also exists with Birmingham City. Albion played them in the 1931 FA Cup final and a semi-final in 1968.

Black Country Derby

Albion and Wolves play in the Black Country derby. This is one of the oldest football rivalries in the world. It is considered one of the most intense rivalries in English football. A 2008 survey found it to be the most intense rivalry in the country. One in four fans from both clubs said their rivalry was deeper than just football. The two teams have played each other 160 times. Their first big game was an FA Cup match in 1886. Both Albion and Wolves were founding members of the Football League in 1888. This makes the derby the joint oldest in English league football.

The rivalry became very strong when the two clubs fought for the league title in 1953–54. In the 1990s, it became even more intense among fans. Both clubs were in Division One for much of that time, with only local pride at stake. In 2002, Albion came from 11 points behind to pass Wolves and get promoted. The rivalry grew even more after they met in the play-offs in 2007. A 2004 survey showed that most Albion and Wolves fans see each other as their main rival. In February 2012, the Baggies beat Wolves 5–1 away from home. Peter Odemwingie scored three goals. This game was called the 'demolition derby'. It is still the highest-scoring Black Country derby of the 21st century. Despite being in the same area, Walsall is seen as a lesser rival. This is because they have played in a lower division than Albion for most of their history.

West Bromwich Albion–Aston Villa Rivalry

The Daily Telegraph in 2010 said games between Aston Villa and West Brom were the fiercest in the region. The two teams first played on December 9, 1882. It was in the second round of the Staffordshire Cup. Villa hosted a 3–3 draw with 13,900 fans. In the replay, West Brom won 1–0 with 10,500 fans. On January 3, 1885, they met for the first time in the FA Cup third round. A 0–0 draw at West Brom was followed by a 3–0 win for West Brom away at Villa. The next year, both teams became founding members of the Football League. They first met in a league game on January 19, 1889. Villa won 2–0 at home. The next week, they drew 3–3. The two teams met in two more FA Cup finals in the 1800s. West Brom won 3–0 in 1892, and Aston Villa won 1–0 in 1895.

Birmingham City was moved down from the Premier League in 2011. Wolverhampton Wanderers followed a season later. This left Aston Villa and West Brom as the only West Midlands teams in England's top division. Without their main rivals, and with Albion finishing above Villa for two seasons, the historic rivalry became strong again. At the end of the 2015–16 season, Aston Villa was moved down. This left West Brom as the only West Midlands team in the top league for the 2016–17 season. After Albion was moved down at the end of the 2017–18 Premier League, the teams played each other in the Championship. In the 2018–19 EFL Championship play-off semi-finals, Villa controversially beat Albion on penalties. Albion had two players sent off over both games.

Club Ownership and Management

As of September 1, 2024

How Albion Has Been Owned Over Time

In the club's early years, West Bromwich Albion was run by a seven-person playing committee. Each member paid a weekly fee to fund the club. Albion's first chairman was Henry Jackson, appointed in 1885. The club became a limited company in June 1891. Other early chairmen included Jem Bayliss and Billy Bassett. Both had played for the club before. From 1878 to 1986, there was always an Albion player or former player on the club's committee or board.

Bassett became an Albion director in 1905. The previous board had all resigned. The club was in serious financial trouble. But Bassett and returning chairman Harry Keys saved the club. Local fundraising also helped. Bassett became chairman in 1908. He helped the club avoid bankruptcy again in 1910 by paying players' summer wages himself. He is still Albion's longest-serving chairman. He held the position until he died in 1937. The club's longest-serving director was Major H. Wilson Keys (1930–1965). He was chairman for 15 of those years. He became vice-president of the Football Association in 1969. Sir Bert Millichip was Albion chairman from 1974 to 1983. He then focused on his role as chairman of the Football Association.

In 1996, the club became a public limited company. They sold shares to supporters. The shares were listed on the Alternative Investment Market. But the club left the stock exchange to become a private company again in 2004. The company's name changed back to West Bromwich Albion Limited. This company became part of West Bromwich Albion Holdings Limited. Jeremy Peace became chairman in 2002. This happened after a disagreement between previous chairman Paul Thompson and manager Gary Megson.

In September 2007, Peace bought more shares in West Bromwich Albion Holdings Limited. This made his total ownership 50.56%. This meant he had to offer to buy the remaining shares. Later that year, Michelle Davies became Albion's first female director. She left in 2010. Jeremy Peace announced in June 2008 that he was looking for a new major investor. But no good offers were received by the deadline. On July 24, 2015, Jeremy Peace announced that a potential buyer could not meet the sale terms.

In July 2016, Peace announced he had found a buyer. It was a Chinese investment group led by Lai Guochuan. The deal was believed to be around £175 million to £200 million. The takeover was completed on September 15, 2016. John Williams was first named Chairman. But Lai replaced him with Li Piyue after the club was moved down in the 2017–18 season. Lai himself became Chairman on February 2, 2022.

The 2022–23 season saw more attention on the club's ownership. The club's financial situation started to get national media attention. Supporters' groups and protests by fans happened during the season. These aimed to raise awareness of the club's problems. But they paused in April 2023 as fans supported the team's push for promotion.

On February 15, 2024, it was announced that American businessman Shilen Patel and his father, Kiran C Patel, agreed to buy 87.8% of the club. The new company is called Bilkul Football WBA. Shilen Patel would also become the club's Chairman.

West Bromwich Albion Players

Current Team Squad

No. Position Player 1 GK Alex Palmer 2 DF Darnell Furlong 3 DF Mason Holgate (on loan from Everton) 4 MF Callum Styles 5 DF Kyle Bartley (vice-captain) 6 DF Semi Ajayi 7 MF Jed Wallace (captain) 8 MF Jayson Molumby 9 FW Josh Maja 10 MF John Swift 11 MF Grady Diangana 12 FW Daryl Dike 14 DF Torbjørn Heggem

No. Position Player 17 MF Ousmane Diakité 18 FW Karlan Grant 19 FW Lewis Dobbin (on loan from Aston Villa) 20 MF Uroš Račić (on loan from Sassuolo) 21 DF Paddy McNair (on loan from San Diego FC) 22 MF Mikey Johnston 23 GK Joe Wildsmith 24 DF Gianluca Frabotta 27 MF Alex Mowatt 30 GK Ted Cann 31 FW Tom Fellows 44 FW Devante Cole

Players on Loan

No. Position Player 15 DF Caleb Taylor (on loan at Wycombe Wanderers until end of season) — GK Josh Griffiths (on loan at Bristol Rovers until end of season)

Under-23s and Academy Teams

Coaching Staff

As of July 16, 2024

Famous Former Players

In 2004, for the club's 125th anniversary, fans voted for the greatest West Brom players ever. A team of 16 players was chosen. All these players are shown on a special mural at The Hawthorns. Fourteen of the sixteen players were born in England. One player, Cyrille Regis, was born in French Guiana but played for England. The 16 players are:

Name	Country	Years Played	Games	Goals	Position
Bassett, BillyBilly Bassett		1886–99	311	77	Outside right
Pennington, JesseJesse Pennington		1903–22	496	0	Left back
Richardson, W. G.W. G. Richardson		1929–45	354	228	Centre forward
Barlow, RayRay Barlow		1944–60	482	48	Left-half
Allen, RonnieRonnie Allen		1950–61	458	234	Centre forward
Howe, DonDon Howe		1952–64	379	19	Right back
Kevan, DerekDerek Kevan		1953–63	262	157	Centre forward
Brown, TonyTony Brown		1963–81	720	279	Wing half/Inside forward
Astle, JeffJeff Astle		1964–74	361	174	Centre forward
Osborne, JohnJohn Osborne		1967–72 1973–78	312	0	Goalkeeper
Wile, JohnJohn Wile		1970–83	619	29	Centre-half
Johnston, WillieWillie Johnston		1972–79	261	28	Outside left
Robson, BryanBryan Robson		1974–81	249	46	Central midfielder
Statham, DerekDerek Statham		1976–87	373	11	Left back
Cunningham, LaurieLaurie Cunningham		1977–79	114	30	Winger
Regis, CyrilleCyrille Regis		1977–84	302	112	Centre forward

Other special awards for West Brom players include the PFA Young Player of the Year award. Cyrille Regis won this in 1979. In 1998, Billy Bassett and Bryan Robson were named among the Football League 100 Legends. Bryan Robson was also one of the first players in the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002. Geoff Hurst joined him two years later. Bobby Robson, who played for Albion, is also in the Hall of Fame for his work as a manager.

In 1919–20, Fred Morris was the first Albion player to be the top goalscorer in Division One. Ronnie Allen, Derek Kevan, Jeff Astle, and Tony Brown have also done this. Brown holds the club records for most goals and most games played. He was voted into the PFA Centenary Hall of Fame in July 2007.

Player of the Year Awards

Year Winner 1979 Bryan Robson 1980 N/A 1981 Tony Godden 1982 Cyrille Regis 1983 N/A 1984 Paul Barron 1985 Garry Thompson 1986 Stephen Hunt 1987 Stuart Naylor 1988 Carlton Palmer 1989 Chris Whyte 1990 Bernard McNally 1991 Graham Roberts

Year Winner 1992 Daryl Burgess 1993 Bob Taylor 1994 Daryl Burgess 1995 Paul Mardon 1996 Andy Hunt 1997 Ian Hamilton 1998 Alan Miller 1999 Lee Hughes 2000 Lárus Sigurðsson 2001 Neil Clement 2002 Russell Hoult 2003 Jason Koumas 2004 Thomas Gaardsøe

Year Winner 2005 Ronnie Wallwork 2006 Jonathan Greening 2007 Diomansy Kamara 2008 Kevin Phillips 2009 Chris Brunt 2010 Graham Dorrans 2011 Youssouf Mulumbu 2012 Ben Foster 2013 Gareth McAuley 2014 Ben Foster 2015 James Morrison 2016 Darren Fletcher 2017 Ben Foster

Year Winner 2018 Ben Foster 2019 Dwight Gayle 2020 Matheus Pereira 2021 Sam Johnstone 2022 Matthew Clarke 2023 Jayson Molumby 2024 Cédric Kipré

Club Managers: Key Leaders

The following managers helped West Bromwich Albion achieve great things. They either won a major trophy, reached a final, finished in the top three of the top league, won promotion, or reached the quarter-finals of a major European competition.

Name	Country	Years Managed	Games	Wins	Draws	Losses	Achievements
Ford, LouisLouis Ford		1890–92	58	18	10	30	FA Cup winners 1892
Stephenson, EdwardEdward Stephenson		1894–95	36	14	5	17	FA Cup runners-up 1895
Heaven, FrankFrank Heaven		1896–02	214	86	45	83	Division Two champions 1901–02
Everiss, FredFred Everiss		1902–48	1520	656	331	533	Promoted as Division Two winners 1910–11, FA Cup runners-up 1912, 1935, Division One winners 1919–20, Division One runners-up 1924–25, Promoted as Division Two runners-up 1930–31, FA Cup winners 1931
Smith, JackJack Smith		1948–52	179	70	46	63	Promoted as Division Two runners-up 1948–49
Buckingham, VicVic Buckingham		1953–59	301	130	78	93	Division One runners-up 1953–54, FA Cup winners 1954
Hagan, JimmyJimmy Hagan		1963–67	201	78	49	74	League Cup winners 1966, League Cup runners-up 1967
Ashman, AlanAlan Ashman		1967–71	182	64	49	69	FA Cup winners 1968, European Cup Winners Cup quarter-finalists 1968–69, League Cup runners-up 1970
Giles, JohnnyJohnny Giles		1975–77, 1984–85	159	60	42	57	Promoted from Division Two 1975–76
Atkinson, RonRon Atkinson		1978–81, 1987–88	212	85	68	59	Division One 3rd place 1978–79, UEFA Cup quarter-finalists 1978–79
Ardiles, OsvaldoOsvaldo Ardiles		1992–93	55	30	11	14	Promoted as Division Two play-off winners 1992–93
Megson, GaryGary Megson		2000–04	221	94	50	77	Promoted as Division One runners-up 2001–02, 2003–04
Mowbray, TonyTony Mowbray		2006–09	140	57	32	51	Promoted as Championship winners 2007–08
Di Matteo, RobertoRoberto Di Matteo		2009–11	82	40	19	23	Promoted as Championship runners-up 2009–10
Bilić, SlavenSlaven Bilić		2019–20	65	26	22	17	Promoted as Championship runners-up 2019–20

Club Records and Achievements

West Bromwich Albion's biggest win was 12–0 against Darwen on April 4, 1892. This is still the largest winning margin in English top-flight football. Nottingham Forest equalled this record in 1909. Albion's biggest FA Cup win was 10–1 against Chatham on March 2, 1889. The club's biggest league loss was 3–10 against Stoke City on February 4, 1937. Their heaviest FA Cup loss was 0–5 to Leeds United on February 18, 1967.

Tony Brown holds many of Albion's club records. He has played the most games overall for the club (720). He also has the most appearances in the league (574), FA Cup (54), and European competitions (17). Brown is the club's top scorer in the league (218), the FA Cup (27), and in Europe (8). He is also the club's overall record scorer, with 279 goals. W. G. Richardson scored 328 goals for the club. But 100 of these were during World War II, which are not usually counted in official totals. Richardson holds the club record for most league goals in one season, scoring 39 times in 1935–36.

Albion's player with the most international appearances (while playing for the club) is Chris Brunt. He played 55 times for Northern Ireland as an Albion player. He earned 65 caps in total before retiring from international football in 2017. Jesse Pennington is the club's most capped England international, with 25 caps.

The highest transfer fee the club has paid is £15 million. This was for Oliver Burke from RB Leipzig on August 25, 2017. The record transfer fee Albion received from another club was £16.5 million. This was for Salomón Rondón to Dalian Yifang in July 2019.

Club Trophies and Honors

Reference:

League Titles

• First Division (top league)
  • Champions: 1919–20
  • Runners-up: 1924–25, 1953–54
• Second Division / First Division / Championship (second league)
  • Champions: 1901–02, 1910–11, 2007–08
  • Runners-up: 1930–31, 1948–49, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2009–10, 2019–20
• Second Division (third league)
  • Play-off winners: 1993

Cup Titles

• FA Cup
  • Winners: 1887–88, 1891–92, 1930–31, 1953–54, 1967–68
  • Runners-up: 1885–86, 1886–87, 1894–95, 1911–12, 1934–35
• Football League Cup
  • Winners: 1965–66
  • Runners-up: 1966–67, 1969–70
• FA Charity Shield
  • Winners: 1920, 1954 (shared)
  • Runners-up: 1931, 1968
• Tennent Caledonian Cup
  • Winners: 1977

Images for kids

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  Panoramic view of The Hawthorns, home of West Bromwich Albion F.C.

See also

In Spanish: West Bromwich Albion Football Club para niños