KARL WHITEHOUSE TAKES A LOOK BACK AT THE HISTORY OF THE BLACK COUNTRY DERBY
This will be the 163rd meeting of Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Bromwich Albion,
They have met 148 times in the league with West Brom winning 55, Wolves winning 52 and 41 draws.
They have only met 11 times in the FA Cup the last meeting was on 28th January 2007 in the 4th Round.
They have met twice in the playoffs and West Brom won both, there was also a meeting in a charity shield game but that was a draw.
Before the football league was formed, they played each other in friendlies, Birmingham senior cup, Staffordshire cup and Lord Mayor of Birmingham charity cup.
The first league Black Country Derby match was played on the 15th December 1888 which was played at Dudley Road the score was 2-1 to Wolves and was in front of 8,600 fans.
So here’s a few memories from the Black Country Derby encounters.
DO YOU REMEMBER?
The last victory at The Hawthorns, West Brom 2 Wolves 4 15th September 1996 in League Division 1
Wolves hit West Brom with 3 goals in the first 28 minutes of game with Roberts getting the first goal with just 5 minutes on the clock when he headed home from a Froggatt corner after racing unmarked into the box.
Nine minutes later Wolves got the second goal when a long throw Froggatt was helped on by Roberts towards Bull to hammer home his customary goal against his former club.
The in the 28th Minute of the game Froggatt swung in a ball from the right-hand side towards Roberts to score his 2nd goal of the game.
Hamilton gave West Brom hope of a comeback when he headed in a goal after Smith’s left wing cross just before the half time whistle.
Half Time: West Brom 1 Wolves 3
Eight minutes after the restart Wolves extended their lead in the game once again when Roberts completed his hat trick when he turned in Froggatt’s cross.
Thirteen minutes later West Brom grabbed themselves what could be a consolation goal in the game when Taylor hit a angled shot to cut the deficit.
West Brom thought they had scored again but this time it was ruled out for offside.
Full Time: West Brom 2 Wolves 4
West Brom Team: Crichton, Holmes, Nicholson, Sneekes, Mardon (Donovan 79), Burgess, Hamilton, D Smith (Gilbert HT), Peschisolido (Taylor HT), Hunt, Groves.
Scorers: Hamilton, Taylor
Manager: Alan Buckley
Wolves Team: Stowell, Smith, Froggatt, Atkins, Venus, Richards, Thompson, Corica, Bull, Roberts, Osborn; Subs Ferguson, Segers, Wright.
Scorers: Roberts (Hatrick), Bull
Manager: Mark McGhee
A LITTLE MORE HISTORY
West Brom 1 Wolves 1 3rd May 2021 in Premier League at The Hawthorns (Behind Closed Doors)
This game was played in awful conditions as rain swept across the ground.
Both teams took time to settle in the game but it was Wolves who managed to get the first chance of the game when Saiss put his header straight at Johnstone in the West Brom goal.
Then Wolves started to dominate possession for most of the first half, Semedo had another chance testing the goalkeeper Johnstone who saved comfortably after 30 minutes of play.
The next Wolves chance was by Vitinha who tried his luck from range.
West Brom started to get back in to when a short corner found its way to Diagne to the far post but he could only divert his effort across the goal instead of going towards the net.
After that happened Wolves took the lead when Bartley the West Brom defender tried to clear his attempt only for his clearance to ricochet off Silva looping over Johnstone in goal into the back of net to make it 1-0 for the away team.
Half Time: West Brom 0 Wolves 1
There was a change in the second half but not to any players it was the referee !
The home team started the second half trying to get an equaliser by controlling the ball better with Patricio in the Wolves goal being tested with two saves from Townsend and Gallagher.
The equaliser did come eventually when Diagne was left unmarked in the centre of the goal by the Wolves defence after been setup by Townsend from the left wing cross and it makes the game 1-1 now.
This left both teams trying to find a winner but the weather and the rain started to come again making conditions not ideal for playing football.
The game petered out with no further chances and it ended in a draw with one team happy with the result and the other not happy as their chances of survival look very slim after this point.
Full Time: West Brom 1 Wolves 1
West Brom Team: Johnstone, Furlong, Townsend, Ajayi, O’Shea (Phillips 33), Bartley, Gallagher, Maitland-Niles (Robinson 78), Yokuslu, Pereira, Diagne; Subs Button, Peliter, Sawyers, Livermore, Diangana, Robson-Kanu, Grant.
Scorer: Diagne
Manager: Sam Allardyce
Wolves Team: Patricio, Semedo, Coady, Saiss, Ait-Nouri (Kilman 82), Neves, Dendoncker, Otasowie (Podence 71), Vitinha (Gibbs-White 80), Traore, Silva; Subs Ruddy, Hoever, Marques, Cundle, Corbeanu, Jose.
Scorer: Silva
Manager: Nuno Espirito Santo
FA CUP MEETINGS
4th Round Tie: 2nd January 1886 at Stoney Lane West Brom 3 Wolves 1, Attendance: 5,196.
West Brom Team: Roberts, H Green, H Bell, Horton, Bunn, Timmins, Woodhall, Bayliss, T Green, Loach, G Bell.
Scorers: (Loach, G Bell, T Green)
Wolves Team: I Griffiths, C Mason, Lowder, Davidson, J Aston, Pearson, H Aston, Brazier, Brodie, H Wood, G Wood.
Scorer: (G Wood)
3rd Round Tie: 26th November 1887 at Stoney Lane West Brom 2 Wolves 0, Attendance: 7,429.
West Brom Team: Roberts, Green, Aldridge, Perry, Timmins, Horton, Bassett, Woodhall, Bayliss, Atkin, Wilson.
Scorers: (Bassett 76, Wilson 86)
Wolves Team: Llowarch, Baugh, Mason, Fletcher, Allen, Lowder, Hunter, Shaw, Danks, Wood, Griffiths.
3rd Round Tie: 2nd March 1895 at Stoney Lane West Brom 1 Wolves 0, Attendance: 20,977.
West Brom Team: Reader, C Perry, W Williams, T Perry, Higgins, Taggart, Bassett, McLeod, Richards, Hutchinson, Banks.
Scorer: (McLeod 75)
Wolves Team: Hassall, Baugh, Dunn, Griffiths, Malpass, Wood, Wykes, Black, Butcher, Fleming, Tonks.
3rd Round Tie: 23rd February 1924 at The Hawthorns West Brom 1 Wolves 1, Attendance: 55,489.
West Brom Team: Ashmore, Smith, Perry, Richardson, Read, McNeal, Spencer, Carter, James, Wilson, Gregory.
Scorer: (Wilson 76)
Wolves Team: George, Watson, Shaw, Getgood, Caddick, Kay, Harrington, Fazackerley, Phillipson, Lees, Edwards.
Scorer: (Fazackerley 19)
3rd Round Tie Replay: 27th February 1924 at Molineux Wolves 0 West Brom 2, Attendance: 40,083.
Wolves Team: George, Watson, Shaw, Getgood, Caddick, Kay, Harrington, Fazackerley, Phillipson, Lees, Edwards.
West Brom Team: Ashmore, Smith, Perry, Richardson, Read, Dutton, Spencer, Morris, James, Wilson, Gregory.
Scorers: (Wilson 57, Gregory 80)
6th Round Tie: 28th February 1931 at The Hawthorns West Brom 1 Wolves 1, Attendance: 52,385.
West Brom Team: Pearson, Shaw, Trentham, Magee, W Richardson, Edwards, Glidden, Carter, WG Richardson, Sandford, Wood.
Scorer: (WG Richardson 31)
Wolves Team: Tootill, Lowton, Kay, Lax, Hollingworth, Rhodes, Phillips, Bottrill, Hartill, J Deacon, Barraclough.
Scorer: (Shaw 44og)
6th Round Tie Replay: 4th March 1931 at Molineux Wolves 1 West Brom 2, Attendance: 46,860.
Wolves Team: Tootill, Lowton, Kay, Lax, Hollingworth, Rhodes Phillips, Bottrill, Hartill, J Deacon, Barraclough.
Scorer: (Deacon 75)
West Brom Team: Pearson, Shaw, Trentham, Magee, W Richardson, Edwards, Glidden, Carter, WG Richardson, Sandford, Wood.
Scorers: (Wood 23, WG Richardson 44)
6th Round Tie: 26th February 1949 at Molineux Wolves 1 West Brom 0, Attendance: 55,684.
Wolves Team: Williams, Kelly, Pritchard, W Crook, Shorthouse, Wright, Hancocks, Smyth, Pye, Dunn, Mullen.
Scorer: Mullen (58)
West Brom Team: Sanders, Pemberton, Millard, Barlow, Vernon, Hood, Elliott, C Williams, Walsh, Haines, A Smith.
3rd Round Tie: 7th January 1956 at Molineux Wolves 1 West Brom 2, Attendance: 55,564.
Wolves Team: Williams, Stuart, Shorthouse, Slater, Wright, Clamp, Hancocks, Broadbent, Flowers, Booth, Mullen.
Scorer: (Slater 79)
West Brom Team: Saunders, Howe, Millard, Dudley, Kennedy, Summers, Griffin, Setters, Barlow, Allen, Lee.
Scorers: (Lee 13, Griffin 29)
4th Round Tie: 27th January 1962 at Molineux Wolves 1 West Brom 2, Attendance: 46,411
Wolves Team: Davies, Stuart, Thomson, Goodwin, Slater, Flowers, Wharton, Murray, Stobart, Broadbent, Durandt.
Scorer: Murray (28)
West Brom Team: Wallace, Howe, S Williams, Robson, Jones, Drury, Jackson, Burnside, Smith, Kevan, Clark.
Scorer: Clark (13,52)
4th Round Tie: 28th January 2007 at Molineux Wolves 0 West Brom 3, Attendance: 28,016
Wolves Team: Murray, Little, McNamara, N Collins, Breen, Henry, Potter, Olofinjana (Johnson 57), Ricketts (M Davies HT), McIndoe, C Davies (Ward HT); Subs Budtz, Edwards.
West Brom Team: Zuberbuhler, McShane, Curtis, Davies, Clement, Robinson, Koumas, Greening, Chaplow, Koren (Gera 73), Kamara (Carter 83), Phillips; Subs Daniels, Nicholson, Hodgkiss.
Scorer: (Kamara 44, Phillips 49, Gera 78)
playing for both teams
Keith Andrews – Played for Wolves 1999-2005 made 72 appearances and played for West Brom 2012 made 14 appearances scored 2 goals.
Vince Bartram – Played for Wolves 1986-1991 made 5 appearances and played for West Brom 1991 in a loan spell.
Dick Betteley – Played for Wolves 1901-1906 made 115 appearances scored 1 goal and played for West Brom 1906-1912 made 85 appearances.
Paul Bradshaw – Played for Wolves 1977-1984 made 200 appearances and played for West Brom 1988-1990 made 6 appearances.
Steve Bull – Played for West Brom 1985-1986 made 9 appearances scored 3 goals and played for Wolves 1986-1999 made 561 appearances scored 306 goals.
David Burnside – Played for West Brom 1957-1962 made 127 appearances scored 39 goals and played for Wolves 1966-1968 made 40 appearances scored 5 goals.
Craig Dawson – Played for West Brom 2010-2019 made 225 appearances scored 15 goals and is currently playing for Wolves made 36 appearances scored 2 goals.
Robbie Dennison – Played for West Brom 1985-1987 made 16 appearances scored 1 goal and played for Wolves 1987-1997 made 293 appearances scored 40 goals.
Don Goodman – Played for West Brom 1987-1991 made 158 appearances scored 60 goals and played for Wolves 1994-1998 made 125 appearances scored 33 goals.
Bobby Gould – Played for Wolves in two spells 1970-1971 and 1975-1977 made 74 appearances scored 31 goals and played for West Brom 1971-1972 made 52 appearances scored 18 goals.
Andy Gray – Played for Wolves 1979-1983 made 133 appearances scored 38 goals and played for West Brom 1987-1988 made 35 appearances scored 10 goals.
Tomasz Kuszczak – Played for West Brom 2004-2007 made 31 appearances and played for Wolves 2014-2015 made 13 appearances.
Joleon Lescott – Played for Wolves 2000-2006 made 235 appearances scored 13 goals and played for West Brom made 39 appearances scored 1 goal.
John Paskin – Played for West Brom 1988-1989 made 25 appearances scored 5 goals and played for Wolves 1989-1992 made 34 appearances scored 3 goals.
Cyrille Regis – Played for West Brom 1977-1984 made 300 appearances scored 111 goals and played for Wolves 1993-1994 made 23 appearances scored 2 goals.
Ally Robertson – Played for West Brom 1969-1986 made 506 appearances scored 9 goals and played for Wolves 1986-1990 made 107 appearances.
Bakary Sako – Played for Wolves 2012-2015 made 124 appearances scored 38 goals and played for West Brom made 6 appearances scored 1 goal.
Andy Thompson – Played for West Brom 1985-1986 made 29 appearances scored 1 goal and played for Wolves 1986-1997 made 451 appearances scored 45 goals.
Others Who Played for Both Clubs
Harry Aston, Dickie Baugh Junior, Joe Butcher, Jack Chadburn, Sid Corfield, Ray Crawford, Peter Eastoe, Paul Edwards, Jack Ellis, Tommy Green, Adam Haywood, Danny Hegan, Eric Jones, Willie Jordan, David Kelly, Arthur Kelsey, Tony Lange, Andrew Lonegran, Tudor Martin, Bill Morris, Stacey North, Frank Nouble, Dan Nurse, Walter Perry, Andy Petterson, Ted Pheasant, Nigel Quashie, Jason Roberts, Cecil Shaw, Ron Stockin, Jimmy Stringer, Davie Walker, Andreas Weimann, Clive Whitehead, George Woodall, Tommy Worton, Harry Wright.
Played, Coached, Managed Both Teams
Ronnie Allen – Played for West Brom from 1950-1961 made 458 appearances scored 234 goals and managed Wolves from 1965-1968 managing 150 games.
Neil Cutler – Played for West Brom from 1993 to 1996 didn’t make a single appearance for the club and is currently the goalkeeping coach at Wolves since August 2023.
Bobby Downes – Started his career as an apprentice at West Brom before he turned professional and was an assistant manager in June 1994, and was briefly a caretaker manager in November 1995 where he was in charge for 6 games.
Keith Downing – Played for Wolves 1987-1993 made 228 appearances scored 11 goals and was caretaker manager of West Brom 14th December 2013 to 9th January 2014 managed for 6 games.
Bobby Gould – Played for Wolves in two spells 1970-1971 and 1975-1977 made 74 appearances scored 31 goals and played for West Brom 1971-1972 made 52 appearances scored 18 goals. Managed West Brom 1991-1992 managed for 66 games.
ARTICLE BY KARL WHITEHOUSE
Chris Humphries is a Season Ticket holder at Molineux who has been supporting Wolves since the mid 70’s. His other interests include Formula 1 and Rallying.