WEST BROM 1992-93
DIVISION TWO PLAY-OFF WINNERS
OSSIE ARDILES had a simple recipe for bringing the good times back to the Hawthorns – score more goals than anyone else!
And he had the players to do it, especially in Bob Taylor who was the division’s top scorer with 30 of the 88 league goals the Baggies scored.
Then the decision to bring in Andy Hunt, who couldn’t get a game at Newcastle United but scored nine goals in as many games, proved to be a masterstroke.
Steve Lilwall admits that after going off the boil despite leading the league for the first three months, it soon became obvious where the season was heading.
“We had a good start but then had a stage where we dropped off the pace a little bit behind the the likes of Stoke City (champions) and Bolton (runners-up) who were very strong.
“We were very free-scoring and scored over 100 goals that season in all competitions but it was very much the mentality given to us by Ossie Ardiles – if they score four, we will score five.
“That is how we used to approach every game. There were some games when we absolutely slaughtered teams but then we would go completely the other way. We played Plymouth Argyle at home and lost 5-2. Ossie came into the changing room that day and just giggled about it.
“It immediately put everyone at ease because we thought we were going to get a right roasting.
“I think it was because he knew what what we were capable of and the longer the season went on, it became obvious that we were going to get into the play-offs,” he said.
Despite losing the first leg of the play-off semi-final at Swansea, they always believed that they would win the final, according to Lilwall.
“We came off after the first leg at Swansea, having lost 2-1, but knowing that we would beat them at home.
“And it proved to be the case (2-0).
“It was one of the times when the fans were making so much noise you couldn’t hear what was being said to you and pals said the foundations in the Brummie Road end were moving
“Then even though we had lost to Port Vale twice in the league, nobody thought that they would beat us on the day.
“We went down Wembley Way and all you could see was West Brom fans, apart from the odd couple of Port Vale fans.
“West Brom fans were even buying their allocation.
“So Ossie didn’t need to do a team talk. We all knew that we couldn’t let everyone down and there was never any doubt that we wouldn’t beat them on the day.
“Certainly from my point of view, whether it be by one, two or the three goals that it was in the end, we were better than Port Vale and in better form.
“Andy Hunt and Nicky Reid scored for us as soon as they went down to ten men when Peter Swan was sent off. At 2-0 it was only going to go one way.
“Then Kevin Donovan got a third in the last minute. It was a fantastic day to round off an amazing season,” he added. 1. Nicky Reid: England Under21 right-back helped Blackburn Rovers win promotion to the Premier League. Became a physiotherapist and now runs The Masons Arms in Chorley. 2. Paul Raven: England schoolboy central defender settled in Doncaster working in the sportswear industry. Is now an education executive at the PFA. 3. Bob Taylor: Striker who was leading scorer in Divisions Two and Three. Has since set up his own promotions company, Super Bob Events, and is brand ambassador of brewers Blind Monkey. 4. Steve Lilwall: Left-back made his first Wembley appearance for Kidderminster Harriers in the 1991 FA Trophy Final. Is now a PE teacher at Ninestiles School in Birmingham. 5. Tony Lange: Goalkeeper who was Aldershot’s record sale before going bust. Has worked as a landscape gardener and then became a revenue protection officer for Southern Railway. 6. Darren Bradley: Midfielder who was the captain. Briefly sold golf clubs before starting a business building underground garages. Now runs the Enhanced Water Treatment Company. 7. Ian Hamilton: Midfielder, a play-off finalist with Scunthorpe United. Became an IT business development manager and has worked for BBC Radio WM. 8. Gary Strodder: Centre-half won promotion with Notts County. Ran two boutiques, in Wetherby and Leeds, and is now running his own driving school in West Yorkshire. 9. Ossie Ardiles: A World Cup winner with Argentina in 1978. Has held a number of management posts around the world. He has also ran his own soccer school and worked in the media. 10. Bernard McNally: Northern Ireland midfielder who was the Baggies’ player of the year in 1990. Has held a number of management and coaching posts, including BMET College. 11. Kevin Donovan: Midfielder won promotion with Grimsby Town. Runs his own coaching company and coaches in Huddersfield Town’s academy. 12. Andy Hunt: Striker helped Charlton win promotion to the Premier League. After being forced to retire with ME, he now owns a luxury five-star holiday resort in Belize. 13. Simon Garner Striker who is Blackburn Rovers’ record scorer. Has worked in portage sales, as a postman and is now a painter and decorator based in Berkshire. 14. Gary Robson: Midfielder spent 12 years at the Hawthorns. Is the younger brother of Bryan. Now a successful businessman in Chester-leStreet operating a chauffeur fleet business. Not Pictured Stacy Coldicott: Midfielder whose ex-wife appeared on Big Brother. Retired from football to become a firefighter and is also an independent financial advisor. Daryl Burgess: Defender twice voted the Baggies’ player of the year. Has run a Soccer School. Is also a DJ and support engineer for Visit by GES. Carl Heggs: Striker who has managed King’s Lynn and Hinckley United. Became the head of sport at Ascot College, Derbyshire and runs a coaching company. Stuart Naylor: England B international goalkeeper. Went into coaching and currently works for Bristol Rovers after a stint at Ashton Gate with Bristol City. Gary Hackett: Forward, has been manager of Stourbridge since 2003. Worked distributing cleaning chemicals to the food industry before starting own business in the same sector.