West Bromwich Albion

(4.29 average - 7 votes)

Details:

Full Name: West Bromwich Albion Football Club
City: Birmingham
Founded: 1879
Stadium: The Hawthorns (28,000)
Colors: Dark Blue, White
Previous Names: West Bromwich Strollers (1878-79)
Nicknames: WBA, West Brom, Albion, The Throstles, The Baggies
Rivals: Aston Villa, Wolverhampton Wanderers

Description:

West Bromwich is part of the conurbation of Birmingham. Albion is an archaic name for England, but in this instance refers to a parish in West Bromwich where many of the founders went to Sunday school. West Bromwich Albion were founder members of the Football League in 1888.

The West Bromwich Albion nickname "The Baggies" comes from the baggy moleskin trousers worn by their supporters around 1896 or so. Most were iron-workers, who needed protection from hot iron, and who went to the Saturday afternoon matches after work in their working clothes. The nickname was given to them by rival Aston Villa supporters.

Another West Brom nickname is "The Throstles" (from a general term for people of West Bromwich) which nested in Hawthorn bushes in the area. A throstle is the regional name for the thrush bird. An additional explanation for the Throstles nickname goes back to a pub named The Plough and Harrow where the club was originally headquartered and changed for matches. The owner of the club kept a caged bird at the pub, in fact a throstle. For many years the club kept a caged throstle as a mascot at the Hawthorns.

The Hawthorns:

The Hawthorns was the original name of the out-of-town estate that WBA moved to from the centre of West Bromwich in 1900.

Previous stadium: Stoney Lane (-1900).

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Major Trophies:

First Tier League Titles:

Football League First Division (1920)

Second Tier League Titles:

Football League Second Division (1902, 11)
Football League Championship (2008)

Cup Titles:

FA Cup (1888, 92, 1931, 54, 68)
Football League Cup (1966)
Charity Shield (1920, 54*)

Title marked with * was shared with another club.

Links:

Official Website: wba.co.uk

Last Updated on Tuesday, 30 August 2011 21:02

Comments (5)

1Thursday, 23 July 2009 06:12

Dave Smith

I'm not sure that the information contained in the descriprion of West Bromwich Albion is correct. The nickname, 'The Throstles' was used because in the early days players changed in a public house where a throstle (thrush) was kept as a pet. But this is just another story perhaps?

2Monday, 27 July 2009 18:56

Jeremy Rueter

I did some further reading in the book "Football: Terms and Teams" by Ken Ferris (which BTW is fantastic) and you are correct. There apparently WERE throstles in the area of the Hawthorns but the specific origin of the nickname is as you've written. I'll update the page. Thanks very much for the info.

3Friday, 03 September 2010 13:53

hackett

they play in blue and white not black

4Wednesday, 08 September 2010 09:21

albionroad

Thanks hackett!

5Friday, 20 May 2011 21:46

Keith Wadsworth

Hi Ya,
WBA in the early days before turnstiles had a man or men walking around the perimeter of the pitch with open bags, people on the terraces shouted 'Baggies' man. The entrance fee, old penny's in those days, were handed forward or thrown onto the concorse.
Keith
Worcestershire