Wi’m gooin’ up, ay we!
20 years ago there was a promotion party at the Hawthorns
WE turn the clock back 20 years with these pictures from the Bugle collection, to Sunday, April 21, 2002, and the final day of the football season. It was an emotional day of celebration for long suffering Baggies fans, as the club won promotion to the Premier League.
West Bromwich Albion had been absent from the top flight of English football since they had finished bottom of the old First Division at the end of the 1985-86 season, and had spent two seasons, 1991-92 and 199293 in the third tier.
Since returning to the second flight, then called the First Division, Albion had flirted with relegation a couple of times but had not come near a return to the top table. However, the club had been revitalised since the arrival of manager Gary Megson and the 2001-02 season saw the Baggies as serious contenders throughout.
In West Bromwich Albion: The Complete Record, Tony Matthews wrote: Albion lost their opening two games, but after that they always looked like promotion material and, despite the odd hiccup here and there, kept themselves within striking distance of automatic promotion, which they achieved as runners-up behind Manchester City.”
The fact that the Baggies overhauled rivals Wolves to claim second spot only made promotion all the sweeter for their fans!
Albion’s final tie of the season was a home encounter with Crystal Palace and a win would send the Baggies up.
The Albion starting line-up for the match was: Russell Hoult, Larus Sigurdsson, Phil Gilchrist, Darren Moore, Adam Chambers, Neil Clement, Igor Balis, Andy Johnson, Derek Mcinnes, Danny Dichio and Bob Taylor. The substitutes on the bench were Scott Dobie, Jordao, Ruel Fox, Warren Cummings and Andy Petterson.
The Crystal Palace team was: Alex Kolinko, Dean Austin, Curtis Fleming, Tony Popovic, Danny Granville, Hayden Mullins, David Hopkin, Aki Riihilahti, Simon Rodger, Ade Akinbiyi, and Clinton Morrison, with subs Tommy Black, Andrejs Rubins, Jovan Kirovski, Gregg Berhalter and Cedric Carrasso.
26,712 were at the Hawthorns for the match and there was a scare early on as Russell Hoult was called on to make a dramatic save from Danny Granville’s effort in the third minute.
After that, things settled down. Albion had the best defensive record in the division that season and Darren Moore, Phil Gilchrist and Larus Sigurdsson stamped their authority on the Palace attack.
Albion nerves were calmed in the 17th minute when Moore opened the scoring. Derek Mcinnes sent in a free kick which Palace defender Aki Riihilahti headed across his own goal for Moore to pounce on and side-foot in from six yards.
A disciplined Albion then sat back and stifled Palace’s few threats on goal. Victory was sealed early in the second half. In the 54th minute Neil Clement fired in a low 20-yard free kick that goalkeeper Alex Kolinko spilled into the path of Bob Taylor who, relishing the opportunity, lashed the ball in with his right foot.
The final score: West Bromwich Albion 2–0 Crystal Palace and delirium
They always looked like promotion material and kept themselves with striking distance of automatic promotion Tony Matthews
in the stands as the Hawthorns faithful celebrated promotion.
Albion’s record for the 2001-02 season was played 46, won 27, drawn 8, lost 11, goals for 61, goals against 29 and 89 points – that put them 10 points behind champions Manchester City and, crucially, three ahead of third placed Wolves. Wolves then stumbled in the playoffs, beaten 3–2 on aggregate by Norwich City, who went on to lose on penalties in the final to Birmingham City.
Albion’s success was built on their formidable defence. They conceded just 29 goals, the fewest in the division and a club record for a season of 42 games or more. The Baggies had 24 clean sheets in the League and chalked up 15 1–0 wins. Top goal scorer was Scott Dobie with 10 League goals (12 over the whole season) and Albion’s best results were a 5–0 win at the Hawthorns over Portsmouth, with goals from Balis, Sigurdsson, Dobie and two from Jason Roberts, and 4–0 wins at home against Manchester City and Stockport County. For 2002-03 Albion started their first season in the Premier League as the bookies’ favourite to be relegated. Sadly, it proved to be a safe bet – they finished in 19th place and dropped back down.