Today’s game

[PeteS]

Lovely stuff Pete and yes indeed - I'm a baggie, man and boy. It's been a bit of a roller coaster! Mind you Coventry have had there share of good and bad fortune over the years.

I would love to regail you if the times I've seen Coventry at the Hawthorns but can't actually remember the last time I saw them. We have not often been in the same division when I have been regularly going to games. I do recall one game but I think that was a cup match - and a rather lacklustre affair. I rarely make a Saturday game now due to other commitments but try to make as many mid-week as possible. Missed Barnsley though as I had some family business to deal with.
The Royal Oak is still standing after your visit and just down the road from the ground on Holyhead Road. (That becomes Soho Road nearer Brum.)

The Smethwick end is still half and half away and home supporters. A great atmosphere and plenty of generally good natured banter as you'd expect. It can get a bit feisty at times and I always feel sorry for line of stewards posted between the 2 factions. Can't be much fun...

[Travs]

I remember an FA Cup match in the 90’s at your place, it was heading for a draw, but our super Peter Ndlovu scored a cracking individual goal to win it right at the end...

Of course Cyrille Regis was a legend of both clubs. I remember in about ‘92 we shamefully sold him to Villa, who we then played final game of the season... Big Cyrille scored against us after about 30 seconds and nearly sent us down... luckily Luton and Notts County were even more inept than us that year....

Certainly got some stories about going to Villa Park... although the rivalry was never really claimed on their side, as their hatred was always with Blues.... it was ferocious in around the ground on many occasions in the 90’s...!

I’m no longer a regular, just got out of the habit in the last few years due to racing and training... I’ve been to more away games than home in the last five years... the Ricoh has never really felt like home... and I’ve not been to an away match for almost two seasons...

[PeteS]

Cyrille was and still is an absolutely legend at the Albion. He is of course immortalised (along with Laurie Cunningham and Brendon Batson) in the "3 degrees" statue outside the Hawthorns. He was active in around the club practically up to the day he died and often turned out for charity games. Sadly missed.
I think I remember that cup game. Steve Ogrizovic came in for some right stick but there again, so did any keeper in front of the Brummie Road end!

Villa were the Baggies local rivals for years. They are geographically the closest major club and I remember that being the big game when I was a lad. The whole Black Country rivalry thing with Wolves is a relatively new thing to me.

[Travs]

Yes it’s strange how rivalries change.

My dad said that in the 60’s our rivalry was always Wolves. In fact the biggest ever crowd at Highfield Road was the Div2 title decider in 1967 between us, when I think we both went up to Div1.

In “my day” it was Villa, as with no disrespect intended to any other Midlands teams, the two of us were the only real regulars in Div1.

In the 2000’s the rivalry seemed to be with Leicester, who are just as close as the Birmingham teams, but I never really got it.

Now our big rivalry seems to be with Sunderland due to a lot of history going back to the 70’s when we sent them down under controversial circumstances, and recently there has been a lot of bad blood between the fans, a near-riot at the home game last year, and loads of trouble up in Sunderland last spring.

I never really saw any rivalry between Cov and WBA... mainly because in the past we’ve had reasons to dislike Villa, Wolves, Blues, Leicester... always felt that WBA were probably in a similar position!!

[Graham Breeze]

Yes it’s strange how rivalries change.

My dad said that in the 60’s our rivalry was always Wolves. In fact the biggest ever crowd at Highfield Road was the Div2 title decider in 1967 between us, when I think we both went up to Div1.

Well: Champions in 1958 and 1959 and FA Cup winners in 1960 (2nd in the League) and probably the best team in Europe at the time.

And then a fall through 3 divisions and a long, long climb back.

Manchester United? Think on it!

[Muddy Retriever]

I'm a baggie, man and boy.

I went to the Leeds vs West Brom game at Elland Road at the start of this month. West Brom are definitely the best team we have played this season (even though we won 1-0). It was very nerve wracking towards the end. I expect you to be there or thereabouts at the end of the season.

You may remember in 1971 Jeff Astle scoring a notoriously offside goal for West Brom against Leeds, which ended up costing us the league title. About 20 years ago I saw celebrity Baggies fan Frank Skinner do a stand-up show in Leeds. At the start he walked onto the stage and without any preamble announced "it was never off-side". Surprisingly about half the audience understood what he was talking about. I imagine it would be a lot less if he said it now.

[PeteS]

I went to the Leeds vs West Brom game at Elland Road at the start of this month. West Brom are definitely the best team we have played this season (even though we won 1-0). It was very nerve wracking towards the end. I expect you to be there or thereabouts at the end of the season.

You may remember in 1971 Jeff Astle scoring a notoriously offside goal for West Brom against Leeds, which ended up costing us the league title. About 20 years ago I saw celebrity Baggies fan Frank Skinner do a stand-up show in Leeds. At the start he walked onto the stage and without any preamble announced "it was never off-side". Surprisingly about half the audience understood what he was talking about. I imagine it would be a lot less if he said it now.

Not sure I'm old enough to remember the goal but that's a great story and typical Frank. He used to be a regular compere at a local Bearwood comedy club night before he made it big. Very funny and a lot of topical local insight. I always thought he was too niche to make it big. Shows what I know....

[Muddy Retriever]

Not sure I'm old enough to remember the goal but that's a great story and typical Frank. He used to be a regular compere at a local Bearwood comedy club night before he made it big. Very funny and a lot of topical local insight. I always thought he was too niche to make it big. Shows what I know....

He was hilarious that night, I don't think I've ever laughed so much. I used to love Fantasy Football League with him and David Baddiel. So many memorable clips but my favourite has to be the Stefan Kuntz references and particularly this.

https://dispensablesoccer.com/stefan-kuntz/

[Derby Tup]

I loved FFL too

[PeteS]

FFL was essential viewing in our house. It of course featured another Baggies stalwart in Jeff Astle.