Wba Versus Bcfc

[Mr Mosquito]

[bully]

[bs16bcfc]

[bs16bcfc]

I can remember boxing day - 78? - we beat them 3-1 and Norman Hunter marked big Cyrille Regis out of the game.

Remember a boxing day game played in the snow, sure it was with the Orange ball?

Havent been back since!

[Nogbad the Bad]

Gobbers,

I too am steeped in history with the Hawthorns.

First football ground I ever went too and the 2nd.

Dad had a season ticket and would only take me to away matches.

Was quizzing him yesterday about the games in I think 1972/3 and 1973/4 seasons.

He thinks we broke down in his Rover 2000 TC and Gary emmanuel scored the winner?

Maybe your knowledge and wisdom can enlighten me

Cheers

Definitely not GARY Emmanuel, must have been our own John Emanuel.

[Nogbad the Bad]

I can remember boxing day - 78? - we beat them 3-1 and Norman Hunter marked big Cyrille Regis out of the game.

1978 was one of the last properly cold Winters with snow on the ground for weeks. On Boxing Day I remember setting out for West Brom but the snow was so bad we were skidding all over the place and were forced to turn back.

We ended up going down the pub instead and I've always thought the game was called off.

The West Brom away match that lives in my memory was the night match in the promotion season when Sweeney scored and we held out for a vital win. Just as memorable for the incredible atmosphere created by the 4,000 City fans who literally didn't stop singing for the whole of the 2nd half and roared the team to victory.

BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTTOOOLLLLLLLL

[Old Dazzler]

This was the game where we sort of knew that having won, we were well on course for promotion. The atmosphere was red hot, will never know how we survived the 2nd half onslaught.

Not many people may remember, but this game was originally due to be played on a Saturday a few weeks earlier but was postponed because most of the City team went down with flu after having had Flu Jabs . Drove up with some mates, remember this was in the days before mobile phones, the web and even teletext, and as we were listening to some cassettes on the way up there was no radio telling us the game was off, until the OB stopped us on the roundabout near the gound. Ended up going to watch Birmingam v Norwich, a top flight fixture that was so poor that it made us wonder what all the fuss was about Division 1 - we were to find out only a few months later starting at Highbury

I did West Brom away for 6 seasons on the trot, the previous season we lost with John Emanuel being sent off. Both teams got promoted together and for the next 4 years in the top flight we always seemed to have WBA away on Boxing Day or over Easter, and it took on a bit of a derby atmosphere - more for us as WBA had the likes of Coventry, The Blues, Wolves, Villa but for us it was the easiest ground to get to in the top flight.

And yes the one with the snow, there was just 1 lane open on the M5 and a miracle that the game was on - only 1 or 2 games were saved from the weather that day so we had a more than usual amount of coverage but unfortunately lost 3-0!.

We were relegated after that season (79-80) and I didn't make the trip again until the game in 1999 when we drew 2-2 under Benny's management.

Like the game played in 1976 this helped determine our fate. We were 2-1 up (both goals from Ade) and desparate for 3 points to lift us up the table and Lee Hughes scored his 2nd in the 7th minute of injury time. The team never seemed to recover from that both psychologically,and in terms of losing 2 influential players for the rest of the season , Micky Bell with a broken leg and Ivan Tistimetanu with a bad knee injury, and ended up getting relegated

[Mr Mosquito]

1978 was one of the last properly cold Winters with snow on the ground for weeks. On Boxing Day I remember setting out for West Brom but the snow was so bad we were skidding all over the place and were forced to turn back.

We ended up going down the pub instead and I've always thought the game was called off.

The West Brom away match that lives in my memory was the night match in the promotion season when Sweeney scored and we held out for a vital win. Just as memorable for the incredible atmosphere created by the 4,000 City fans who literally didn't stop singing for the whole of the 2nd half and roared the team to victory.

BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTTOOOLLLLLLLL

The 1978/79 winter really was very cold and I remember the icicles hanging from just about every gutter in Bristol and it was our most successful season in the top flight since the 1909/10 season !!!!! The win at the Hawthorns in the 1975/76 promotion season ultimately meant we finished second and WBA third - with WBA going up automatically - for the benefit of the younger readers as there were no pray-offs in those days. In many ways - beside football - the 1970's really were the good olde days.

[megansdad]

The West Brom away match that lives in my memory was the night match in the promotion season when Sweeney scored and we held out for a vital win. Just as memorable for the incredible atmosphere created by the 4,000 City fans who literally didn't stop singing for the whole of the 2nd half and roared the team to victory.

BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTTOOOLLLLLLLL

That's a game that lives in my memory as well - we clung on to a 1-0 win and they had our goal under siege- a vital win in our promotion season.

also seem to recall a comeback win at Ashton gate against wba - 1-0 or 2-0 down - drew level and then won it with a late keith fear lob- if hazy memory serves me correctly.

Either result would make me very happy Saturday night!

[slartibartfast]

1981 was a bloody cold one to! That went on forever.

[Nogbad the Bad]

The 1978/79 winter really was very cold and I remember the icicles hanging from just about every gutter in Bristol and it was our most successful season in the top flight since the 1909/10 season !!!!! The win at the Hawthorns in the 1975/76 promotion season ultimately meant we finished second and WBA third - with WBA going up automatically - for the benefit of the younger readers as there were no pray-offs in those days. In many ways - beside football - the 1970's really were the good olde days.

I remember the 4ft icicles hanging from our guttering and waking up to find my motorbike almost invisible under a mound of snow. Also remember returning on my Honda 125 over the Downs from my girlfiend's house in the early hours and so much snow had fallen since I'd parked up the roads were indistinguishable from the grass.

Interesting that West Brom finished below us in the promotion stakes yet were far more successful in the top division, qualifying for the EUFA cup several times. One reason may be that they introduced a crop of outstanding youngsters - Laurie Cunningham, Bryan Robson, Remi Moses, Cyrille Regis, Peter Barnes - and their team evolved spectacularly whereas changes in the City team were few and far between with only Hunter, Cormack, Royle and Garland being notable acquisitions in our four years at the top, and our supply of new young players breaking through drying up with the exception of Mabbutt.

New signings were few and far between in those days ( did we make any at all between being promoted and the match at Arsenal?) and we probably only made as many in the whole of those 4 years as we would expect to make each close season now.

[22A]

1975-76 promo season WBA won 2-0 at the Gate in October. February was the return and the M5 headed North was crammed with Bristol registered cars. City took a lead just before half time and for the remainder of the game WBA had shots going narrowly wide, hitting the woodwork or being cleared off the line. On the coach going home the team bus passed us and they celebrated with us.

1978 City lost two Winter games up there; New Years Day in 77/78 and Boxing Day in 78/79. One defeat was 3-0 and the other was 3-1. Bobby Gould reckoned it was due to WBA having special soles & studs on their boots that City didn't.

[Bishops Finger]

The game in 99 was gutting, remember aaron browns mazy run round half the west brom team, finding himself with just the keeper to beat, and he rolls it against the post, doubt we would have stayed up if that would have gone in but who knows.

Also remember the barny at half time with the west brom fans in the same end, and some huge geezer in his stripped henry lloyd jumper sticking out like a sore thumb trying to take them all on on his own, funny how you remember the most random things from some games!

[Rich i e]

The 1978/79 winter really was very cold and I remember the icicles hanging from just about every gutter in Bristol and it was our most successful season in the top flight since the 1909/10 season !!!!! The win at the Hawthorns in the 1975/76 promotion season ultimately meant we finished second and WBA third - with WBA going up automatically - for the benefit of the younger readers as there were no pray-offs in those days. In many ways - beside football - the 1970's really were the good olde days.

Orange ball me thinks for one WBA game in that era, don't remember what I did last week, but ..................

[Mr Mosquito]

Interesting that West Brom finished below us in the promotion stakes yet were far more successful in the top division, qualifying for the EUFA cup several times. One reason may be that they introduced a crop of outstanding youngsters - Laurie Cunningham, Bryan Robson, Remi Moses, Cyrille Regis, Peter Barnes - and their team evolved spectacularly whereas changes in the City team were few and far between with only Hunter, Cormack, Royle and Garland being notable acquisitions in our four years at the top, and our supply of new young players breaking through drying up with the exception of Mabbutt.

Well done for remembering those outstanding WBA names Sir. Laurie Cunningham, Bryan Robson, Remi Moses, Cyrille Regis, Peter Barnes - out of that lot Laurie Cunningham is the one I remembered and I forgot about Bryan Robson !!!!!! In my mind's eye I seem to associate WBA's Bryan Robson more with Man United I suppose.

Interestingly, Sunderland went up as Champions and were relegated straight away. We went up in second and were relegated after 4 seasons and I reckon WBA lasted about 10 seasons before being relegated?

[Nogbad the Bad]

Well done for remembering those outstanding WBA names Sir. Laurie Cunningham, Bryan Robson, Remi Moses, Cyrille Regis, Peter Barnes - out of that lot Laurie Cunningham is the one I remembered and I forgot about Bryan Robson !!!!!!

I'll stand to be corrected on some of this Goblin, but here goes.

I remember Laurie Cunningham playing at AG for Orient in the mid seventies and giving Drysdale the runaround. A year or so earlier we played Orient in December '73 and the match was memorable because Paul Cheesley and Ernie Hunt made their City debuts having been signed a couple of days before.

Such was the renewed interest, and the fact the match was played over the Christmas period, over 19,000 City fans turned up. I was in the open bit of the East End and couldn't believe it as the fans kept piling in.

Pretty sure it was another false dawn and the match ended in a frustrating 0-0 to ensure it was a while before alot of those fans returned.

Here's the connection - Ernie Hunt of course achieved nationwide fame with the superb volley from Willie Carr's flick that must have been one of the most replayed goals of all time. He wasn't with City for long, but it was long enough for him to repeat that goal one more time in City colours, this time, I think, from Gerry Gow's flick-up.

Ernie Hunt scored that goal at................. West Brom. :winner_third_h4h:

[Pewsham]

I'll stand to be corrected on some of this Goblin, but here goes.

I remember Laurie Cunningham playing at AG for Orient in the mid seventies and giving Drysdale the runaround. A year or so earlier we played Orient in December '73 and the match was memorable because Paul Cheesley and Ernie Hunt made their City debuts having been signed a couple of days before.

Such was the renewed interest, and the fact the match was played over the Christmas period, over 19,000 City fans turned up. I was in the open bit of the East End and couldn't believe it as the fans kept piling in.

Pretty sure it was another false dawn and the match ended in a frustrating 0-0 to ensure it was a while before alot of those fans returned.

Here's the connection - Ernie Hunt of course achieved nationwide fame with the superb volley from Willie Carr's flick that must have been one of the most replayed goals of all time. He wasn't with City for long, but it was long enough for him to repeat that goal one more time in City colours, this time, I think, from Gerry Gow's flick-up.

Ernie Hunt scored that goal at................. West Brom. :winner_third_h4h:

Yer Tiz

http://vodpod.com/watch/1284215-ernie-hunt...entry-v-everton

I thought the move was declared illegal afterwards

[Nogbad the Bad]

Yer Tiz

http://vodpod.com/watch/1284215-ernie-hunt...entry-v-everton

I thought the move was declared illegal afterwards

I think the way Willie Carr flicked it up was declared illegal and Hunt's goal for City was not identical.

Gow flicked it up with one foot at WBA and Ernie volleyed it home in similar devastating fashion.

[Mr Mosquito]

I think the way Willie Carr flicked it up was declared illegal and Hunt's goal for City was not identical.

Gow flicked it up with one foot at WBA and Ernie volleyed it home in similar devastating fashion.

It just makes you realise just how well Alan Dicks did in getting us top flight football with limited resources. WBA have always been well financed to my knowledge and their team costing four times more than ours beat us 4-1 yesterday. Alan Dicks often faced sides sometimes costing ten times more than ours and still won - 0-1 at Highbury against Arsenal in 1976 is an example. Gary Johnson struggles to get those kind of results and that's the difference between Alan Dicks and Gary Johnson.

[Nogbad the Bad]

It just makes you realise just how well Alan Dicks did in getting us top flight football with limited resources. WBA have always been well financed to my knowledge and their team costing four times more than ours beat us 4-1 yesterday. Alan Dicks often faced sides sometimes costing ten times more than ours and still won - 0-1 at Highbury against Arsenal in 1976 is an example. Gary Johnson struggles to get those kind of results and that's the difference between Alan Dicks and Gary Johnson.

One notable point about Alan Dicks is that it took him until his 9th season managing at AG before he won promotion. Many seasons of struggle inbetween.

Some might say the modern day Championship is of a far superior standard to the then Division 2 AD eventually got City out of.

Alan Dicks had no record of previous managerial success when he came to City, only as an assistant, eventually achieved promotion and four years at the top, and no notable success after he left.

Gary Johnson had a great record of success when we got him from Yeovil, has achieved promotion ( albeit from a lower league) and the play-off final with City, and of course his story continues to be written.

One thing we can be sure of is Alan Dicks would never survive 9 years with no success - barring 2 great Cup runs - these days, so we have the remarkable patience and faith of Harry Dolman to thank for perservering with him through some very dark days.

If you want to directly compare the two then compare the record of Gary Johnson after 4 seasons at BCFC with Alan Dicks' record at the same stage, in which case Gary Johnson would surely come out on top.

[Mr Mosquito]

One notable point about Alan Dicks is that it took him until his 9th season managing at AG before he won promotion. Many seasons of struggle inbetween.

If you want to directly compare the two then compare the record of Gary Johnson after 4 seasons at BCFC with Alan Dicks' record at the same stage, in which case Gary Johnson would surely come out on top.

Circa 1971? we narrowly lost to Spurs in the League Cup semis. We beat the then mighty and undefeated Leeds United in the FA Cup in 1974 then narrowly lost to Bill Shankley's Liverpool in the next round, then we beat Man U home and away in Div 2 1974/75. Alan Dicks was a successful manager even in his early years. All that kind of success - especially Cup success - is missing from Gary Johnson's CV.

[Nogbad the Bad]

Circa 1971? we narrowly lost to Spurs in the League Cup semis. We beat the then mighty and undefeated Leeds United in the FA Cup in 1974 then narrowly lost to Bill Shankley's Liverpool in the next round, then we beat Man U home and away in Div 2 1974/75. Alan Dicks was a successful manager even in his early years. All that kind of success - especially Cup success - is missing from Gary Johnson's CV.

I saw all those games, Gobbler, and I did mention the two great cup runs under Dicks.

Man.Utd in the second division were actually not that great a side and although to beat them home and away at the time was fantastic I reckon the current West Brom team would wallop them.

To give some perspective on AD, our 2nd division finishes in his first 4 seasons were as follows, 19th, 16th, 14th & 19th. Dicks was certainly not successful in his early years - it was only in his 4th season that we had the great League Cup run and that was a highlight amongst 4 season's of mostly dreadful drudgery and lower table finishes.

In 73-74, it is widely believed that only the F.A. Cup run prevented Dicks's being sacked and even that season he could only manage to guide City to a 16th place finish.

The lack of Cup runs under GJ is a major disappointment, but almost being relegated to the 3rd under Dicks on at least 2 occasions needs to be remembered and Johnson gets far more consistently good results if you compare their early years at the Gate.

To sum up when comparing the initial 4 years of each manager at BCFC: Johnson comes out miles on top in everything except a Cup run. For the run of the mill, but some would say far more important, League campaigns where a manager should be truly judged by putting together a team that truly competes week by week, the facts show that GJ outshines Dicks by quite some margin.