I dont know what it is, but everytime we play Bristol City at The Hawthorns, my mind uncontrolably goes back to New Year’s Day 1979, when the weather affected every football ‘hotspot’, except The Hawthorns, when the game against the ‘Robins’ was indeed the only top flight game played in the nation, Albion running out 3-1 winners thanks to Big Ron’s intuition, in a scene set to a snow clad background, certainly one of the most memorable days in my football life.
It was an occasion that I shared memorable with the now Former Players President Brendon Batson OBE yesterday in the Regis Suite, Brendon of course played in that game 46 years years ago. It was a memory we also shared with the four members of the Bristol City Foremer Players Association, Neil Palmer, Paul Cheesley, David Rodgers and Trevor Tainton, who were our esteemed guests in the Regis Suite for the game against City yesterday.
They were joined in the Regis Suite by Secretary Geoff Snape and Treasurer Norman Westbury, with cameo visits from Andy Johnson, former City player and of course Albion legend Bob Taylor and the ‘one and only’ Tony Brown, and let’s face it, any visit from ‘Bomber’ quite simply cannot really be topped,
On the other side of the shrine, in the East stand, another Albion ‘legend’ although I know he humbly won’t accept that title, Stuart Naylor, over 400 first team appearances for the ‘Baggies’ under his belt, for me, says it all, ‘Bruiser’ as he is affectionately known, was joined in the Richardson Suite by the man who made 624 appearances for the ‘Throstles’ Alistair Robertson, Paul Mardon and Steve Lilwall, all on matchday duties for the Association,
The day was rounded off nicely by two magnificent goals from Mikey Johnston, to seal a much needed 2-0 win and of course three points which keeps Albion in touch with the ‘play-off’ hopefuls.
On a personal note, thats me done now until the end of January, Cataracts have plaqued my vision for too long and I hope to get them sorted on January 7th. Thankyou to everyone who has helped to settle my nerves with their kind re-assurances, and best wishes of course. See you all soon!