The big day at Wembley – when Ossie led the Baggies to promotion
Season 1992-93
‘WEMBLEY, Wembley, we’re all off to Wembley’ was the chant from Albion supporters after they had seen their team beat Swansea City 3-2 on aggregate to reach the Third Division play-off final and a clash with North Staffordshire rivals Port Vale.
Under manager Ossie Ardiles who, of course, was a World Cup winner with Argentina in 1978, the Baggies finished fourth in Division Three – below Stoke City, Bolton Wanderers and Vale – and therefore had to play, and beat, fifth-placed Swansea to reach the final.
Hard-earned
And they did just that – gaining a narrow, hard-earned 2-0 home win in the second leg, having lost the first game 2-1 in South Wales.
Over 42,000 Baggies fans travelled to Wembley for the final and it was all worthwhile as they cheered their team to a 3-0 victory with goals by Andy Hunt, Nicky Reid and Kevin Donovan. Vale, who had centre-back Peter Swan sent-off for a professional foul on Bob Taylor, were second best throughout and this victory was Albion’s first at the Empire Stadium for 25 years, since winning the FA Cup versus Everton in 1968.
Wins
Steve Bull – as normal – was Wolves’ top scorer for the season
Albion’s seasonal record in the League was played 46, won 25, drew 10 and lost 11, a goal average of 88-54 and a points tally of 85 – the highest in the club’s history. The two biggest wins of the campaign were those of 5-1 versus Wigan Athletic and 4-0 versus Fulham, both at home, while their heaviest defeat was a crushing 5-2 walloping by Plymouth Argyle at The Hawthons. Albion also lost a sevengoal thriller by 4-3 at promotion-chasing Stoke.
Taylor, with 30 goals, was top League scorer, followed by Andy Hunt with nine. Taylor, in fact, was the first Baggie to net 30 goals in a season since Tony Brown in 1970-71.
Wolves had a moderate 1992-93 season, finishing 11th in Division Two with 61 points – 35 behind champions Newcastle United, and 27 short of West Ham United and Portsmouth who came home in second and third places. Wolves were, in fact, unbeaten in their first 12 League games but then lost three on the trot before recoveringt their form. However, mixed results after that saw them hovering around in mid-table and although thy looked strong at times, they were well short of the play-offs when the last ball was kicked in earnest. Wolves’ full record this term was played 46, won 15, drew 13 and lost 17, goals scored 57, with 56 conceded. A 5-1 victory at home to Bristol Rovers was Wolves’ best of the campaign, while their heaviest defeat was that of 3-0 at Tranmere. Steve Bull – as normal – was topscorer with another 16 League goals; Andy Mutch netted nine.