The **** Away

[Rhoswolf]

it wasn't what i meant in my original post ......people were saying there was no rivalry with blues etc......i just pointed out for a element of our fan base it was seen as the main one.....but not for most supporters...

Back in the day for me (60/70's) the **** didn't travel in numbers, although rivals Blues and Stoke far greater.

 

[Spitfire]

First trip to West Brom was with my dad back in 79 or 80. All I remember was a Mick Kearns penalty save and a song with words in it I didn't understand as we waited to get on the train.

It went:

My old man said be an Albion fan, I said....

My dad then said that if ever I repeated those words, he would break my neck - which I wouldn't have minded but for the fact he was singing them himself.

Fairly sure that was spring 1980. Kearns in goal as Bradshaw was injured.

 

[mrboing]

I was referring to the albion fans who claim Villa are there main rivals,

It was a local rivalry with Villa, its a feeling of pure hatred towards Albion.

I still see Villas main derby as blues although they are unlikely to play for a number of years.

For any Albion fan over about 55 this is true. For most under that age they will say Wolves. I can’t be bothered to get into the semantics of why but the post about the BCD only really igniting from the late 80s is correct for sure.

 

[greco wolf]

Yes. Spring 79. John Richards equalised. Billy Rafferty scored the best goal he’d ever score only for the linesmen to flag offside . At least it put another nail in their faltering title challenge and put us another point nearer safety .
Pretty sure that was my first ever away game.

Was my first one for sure. I was 10.

 

[WW1963]

Fairly sure that was spring 1980. Kearns in goal as Bradshaw was injured.

It was - checked the 11v11 site.

Was that when the grass banking was set alight? Might have been a different trip there on the train.

 

[Spitfire]

It was - checked the 11v11 site.

Was that when the grass banking was set alight? Might have been a different trip there on the train.

Not sure when that was.

 

[Immigration wolf]

My particular dislike is the ****ney teams....in no particular order just despise the lot of em....

Orient and West Ham?

 

[Immigration wolf]

Not sure when that was.

Wasn’t that the Hindmarch game?

 

[lets all have a disco]

Orient and West Ham?

Hate west ham with a passion..........to be fair when we visited Orient twice I'm the late 80s ,it was full of west ham .....so to me they are the same ..

 

[berwickwolf]

I was at that game as a 15 year old. Some Wolves tried to set fire to the back of the stand and the police wouldn't open the gates out of the exit at the back. It was actually quite frightening how packed it got, probably my worst experience at a football match. Tried to get my mate over the wall and away as he was panicking, police on the other side truncheoning anyone who tried to get over. Not great.

 

[lets all have a disco]

For any Albion fan over about 55 this is true. For most under that age they will say Wolves. I can’t be bothered to get into the semantics of why but the post about the BCD only really igniting from the late 80s is correct for sure.

In the 40s n 50s my grandad told me a wolves fan ....one week we would watch the wolves , the following week we would go an watch the Albion.....

 

[lets all have a disco]

Back in the day for me (60/70's) the **** didn't travel in numbers, although rivals Blues and Stoke far greater.

They was no serious disorder I would say with West Brom until the very early 90s.....the other 2 it had been going on 20 years prior to that ...

West Brom was seen as a walk in the park in comparison....the 3 games in the 80s cranie, bully and hindmarch were totally one sided affairs.....

 

[BrierleyHillWolves]

I was never that bothered about the Albion, given the amount of mates I had and have who are Albion fans and given we rarely play them I'm not even sure I consider them a rival, if they beat us it will be a giant killing, that's how behind us they are, and it may happen it does in one off cup games.

Villa are much more of a rival to us now and I don't mind them either to be honest, the two teams I can't stand are Liverpool and Man Utd.

I am shocked you being from QB that you can say you have never been bothered about the Tesco's

I guess you must of been too young in the 90's / early 2000 ?

 

[DC sits in the NORTHSTAND]

There always seamed to more derby games, East v West Midlands games included. Bull Walsh Derby was always fun. Playing Derby, Forest & Leicester always felt like big games when I was a kid.

Even Port Vale when it felt like we played them a lot & both teams where fighting for promotion in the 80's & 90's.

Rivalries changed as we moved up the leagues & the years I've watched.

Always hated Albion, Blues, Villa & Stoke when I was younger. I remember the first game id seen against Villa in the League Cup when Bully was knocked out by Spink when he scored. Great game & Atmosphere. Strangely Paul Birch's testimonial when we took a load, won in the last minute (Paul Cook scored I think.) The Wolves fans went mental. We nearly turned back as I'd been sick after eating a dodgy chippy, but I told my dad I'd be OK. Strange how football can cure illness & even hangovers with the adrenaline rush!!!

 

[Spitfire]

Wasn’t that the Hindmarch game?

No idea mate.

 

[WalsallWolf]

I am trying not to think too much about it because we have to overcome Tuesday first. If we do, then my god, this means so much for me. I am getting old and my health is deterioating, I want to see us win there in modern day especially given the years before us. 2002 (choke year) 2007 (FA Cup, the Southbank) 2007 again (Play-Offs) 2012 (5-1) and then 2021 (Lockdown). On the latter, everyone at some point said they went through mental health issues at some point during COVID/Lockdown. But honestly, for me, it was only that day and the weeks that followed I felt depressed. Just seeing us lose to them after so many years. The look on the face of Nuno and Coady. Knowing we had all waited for that day for so long, but was stuck to watching it on TV with not a soul in the ground. It may sound somewhat dramatic. But that really got to me.

Others my age may be able to relate, but this potentially coming up is more for my son. I am gutted to say I have never even seen my lad witness us score a goal at the Hawthorns. Let alone win a game there. The only time he had chance to see a goal, was when the old bill chucked us off the metro at Wednesbury back when O'Hara scored.

The Albion game is the one for me. I remember when my lad was with the Wolves, they would give each of the boys a chance to be mascot throughout the season. A few right words here and there (and also a tidy little goodwill cash gesture to charities linked to the club) I managed to swing him being the mascot for the Wolves/West Brom game, at Molineux, first home match of either 1994 or 1995 if my memory and sons age is about right. It was an absolutely beaming hot day for anyone that remembers and it ended 1-1.

Reason I mention that is back then as the parent you could be in the tunnel just as your lad (mascot) was going out with the players. I stood there behind the players as they was entering the pitch along with a few other folk, then stood close to the dugouts before being taken up to the Billy Wright lower - and my god, the noise and atmosphere being on the pitch, yards away from the action was like something even to this day, I have never heard in my life. It was a vicious roar of noise. Even just thinking about it now gives me goosebumps. If we get the chance to go there again in a fortnights time, it will feel full circle and hopefully, the result and day we can cherish.

Please, please let us have one more chance while I can still take my lad to that hell hole and see us win and win well. It means so much to me as I know I does many on here. It is the only game I can think of where I am shaking beforehand. If we fail to win next Tuesday, some resentment will set in for a while for this current crop and I really do not want that, as I realise it wouldnt be fair either, but this is an emotional thing. C'mon now the Wolves.

 

[sedgwolf1980]

The feeling on a match day versus the **** is like no other.

Think some have forgotten what’s it like. Unparalleled.

 

[lets all have a disco]

There always seamed to more derby games, East v West Midlands games included. Bull Walsh Derby was always fun. Playing Derby, Forest & Leicester always felt like big games when I was a kid.

Even Port Vale when it felt like we played them a lot & both teams where fighting for promotion in the 80's & 90's.

Rivalries changed as we moved up the leagues & the years I've watched.

Always hated Albion, Blues, Villa & Stoke when I was younger. I remember the first game id seen against Villa in the League Cup when Bully was knocked out by Spink when he scored. Great game & Atmosphere. Strangely Paul Birch's testimonial when we took a load, won in the last minute (Paul Cook scored I think.) The Wolves fans went mental. We nearly turned back as I'd been sick after eating a dodgy chippy, but I told my dad I'd be OK. Strange how football can cure illness & even hangovers with the adrenaline rush!!!

We had some right games with Port Vale mid 80s through to mid 90s.....got some great stories from those games .....The one game they had to shut the away pub in burslum cause the realised every bank note in the till was counterfeit. I wondered why one bloke kept getting everybody's drinks up the bar and taking there money of them, save them queing....I recall once a Port Vale lad chasing all the wolves lads through burslum, cause nobody wanted to fight him cause the old bil had told us to be careful he has aids and HIV positive....I was crying.....

 

[mrboing]

They was no serious disorder I would say with West Brom until the very early 90s.....the other 2 it had been going on 20 years prior to that ...

West Brom was seen as a walk in the park in comparison....the 3 games in the 80s cranie, bully and hindmarch were totally one sided affairs.....

Would agree with that. From my point of view the midweek games at Molineux late 80s as well. Not so much on the pitch but the stuff that surrounds it. Big mix of factors like you say that propelled it. I actually think the Hindmarch game was harder to swallow than the Bull one

 

[DC sits in the NORTHSTAND]

The feeling on a match day versus the **** is like no other.

Think some have forgotten what’s it like. Unparalleled.

Albion has always been the big one for me.

 

[Wellington Wolf]

For all the fun trips to Stoke and Port Vale and the theatre of Walsh V Bully, for the this has always been the derby.

Bully winners, Rob Hindmarch, Tom Bennett in goal, Kevin bloody Donovan. David Kelly proving he was a Wolf. Even Stephen Hunt had a great game against them. Matt Murrays greatest ever performance. Play offs, the choke season.

All my rivalry memories are against this lot and am desperate to hammer them this time

 

[QB Wolf]

I am shocked you being from QB that you can say you have never been bothered about the Tesco's

I guess you must of been too young in the 90's / early 2000 ?

No not at all, I was going then, my first derby was 89, but growing up my best mates were Albion, yes there was some ribbing, but we used to talk about each other's players a lot, I could name all of Albion's team and vice versa, I can only name one of their team now, I can tell you a lot of Villa's, Albion are just off our radar now for me.

 

[SteveBullsKnee]

I was never that bothered about the Albion, given the amount of mates I had and have who are Albion fans and given we rarely play them I'm not even sure I consider them a rival, if they beat us it will be a giant killing, that's how behind us they are, and it may happen it does in one off cup games.

Villa are much more of a rival to us now and I don't mind them either to be honest, the two teams I can't stand are Liverpool and Man Utd.

Lived in Cradley all my life so I share the pain of having far too many Albion fans as mates lol.

 

[QB Wolf]

There always seamed to more derby games, East v West Midlands games included. Bull Walsh Derby was always fun. Playing Derby, Forest & Leicester always felt like big games when I was a kid.

Even Port Vale when it felt like we played them a lot & both teams where fighting for promotion in the 80's & 90's.

Rivalries changed as we moved up the leagues & the years I've watched.

Always hated Albion, Blues, Villa & Stoke when I was younger. I remember the first game id seen against Villa in the League Cup when Bully was knocked out by Spink when he scored. Great game & Atmosphere. Strangely Paul Birch's testimonial when we took a load, won in the last minute (Paul Cook scored I think.) The Wolves fans went mental. We nearly turned back as I'd been sick after eating a dodgy chippy, but I told my dad I'd be OK. Strange how football can cure illness & even hangovers with the adrenaline rush!!!

I was in the Villa end for the Paul Birch testimonial, with my Villa supporting mate and his dad, nearly got lynched for celebrating and his dad wasn't very happy!

 

[lets all have a disco]

I was in the Villa end for the quarter final league cup game 96....2 of us......2 mins before kick off in walks this big lump , walks along the front , staring at the pair of us......I thought here we go....he walks up the stairs straight to us and goes 'You Wolves"......... undecided I go "Yes".......he goes "and me sound" ...and sits right by us ...

 

[lets all have a disco]

Would agree with that. From my point of view the midweek games at Molineux late 80s as well. Not so much on the pitch but the stuff that surrounds it. Big mix of factors like you say that propelled it. I actually think the Hindmarch game was harder to swallow than the Bull one

I mentioned the 93 game before and the transit story I couldn't really tell , cause it's not the right forum as such....But that was the start of the tide turning .....we got hammered and as I said it spurned a loving relationship that between me mate and one of your main men and that lasted over 25 years......this relationship was at every BCD derby since , even got a far as Blackpool , Bulgaria....I've probably got 20 different stories around it , some very funny , some not ..but beneath it all , there was a mutual respect....

When me mate passed away , despite all the goings on , your chap turned up with 4/5 at his funeral......which took a bit of getting round at first....

 

[BrierleyHillWolves]

No not at all, I was going then, my first derby was 89, but growing up my best mates were Albion, yes there was some ribbing, but we used to talk about each other's players a lot, I could name all of Albion's team and vice versa, I can only name one of their team now, I can tell you a lot of Villa's, Albion are just off our radar now for me.

Yeah I understand that but round this way we grew up hating the Tesco's , villa have only been classed as a rival probably last 6/7 years before then I remember playing Villa in a pre season friedly

 

[Stourport wolf]

They was no serious disorder I would say with West Brom until the very early 90s.....the other 2 it had been going on 20 years prior to that ...

This is not true. I have seen things happen when Wolves went to Albion in the late 70's that I will not go in to detaiil about, but Wolves routed them in some of the worse football violence I have ever seen. I am not glorifying football violence, but correcting an incorrect statement.

 

[lets all have a disco]

This is not true. I have seen things happen when Wolves went to Albion in the late 70's that I will not go in to detaiil about, but Wolves routed them in some of the worse football violence I have ever seen. I am not glorifying football violence, but correcting an incorrect statement.

Backing up me point that it was all largely one sided.. before the early 90s.....

And Birmingham n Stoke wasn't....

 

[WW1963]

In the 40s n 50s my grandad told me a wolves fan ....one week we would watch the wolves , the following week we would go an watch the Albion.....

Lots would do that. Violent tribalism probably put much of that to bed some decades later but my dad would still go to Albion games at theirs if Wolves weren't playing.

If they weren't playing either, he'd go to non league games to get his grounds up.

 

[Stourport wolf]

Backing up me point that it was all largely one sided.. before the early 90s.....

And Birmingham n Stoke wasn't....

Yes, Birmingham and Stoke were usually full on, more so at Saint Andrews, in the late 70,s and 80's.Blues was usually about getting picked off by punks or skinheads, both on the way to and from the station. Wolves were respected by blues, and I can't remember blues being thought of as a top firm at the time.
I always thought Albion were a place where we went to take the ****.
Stoke were always keen, but Wolves had some good results up there, but they were always up for it and were very tidy.

 

[RedFlagWolf]

Yeah I understand that but round this way we grew up hating the Tesco's , villa have only been classed as a rival probably last 6/7 years before then I remember playing Villa in a pre season friedly

Around my bit of Quarry Bank I can confirm that it he ONLY rivalry was Sandwell.

Going to the Thorns School in the early 1980’s I was surrounded by Albion fans (very few Villa fans until Gary Shaw and 1982).

My school footy team was 4 Wolves, 5 WBA and then the odd Liverpool and Villa…no Blues at all!

I still meet up with many and it’s amazing how many of my Albion mates now try and talk about golf, tennis, darts, rugby, love island or Boris Johnson rather than the boys from the Hawthorns!

Bizarrely, the last week or so they seem to have reinvigorated their enjoyment of football!

 

[rincewind]

The feeling on a match day versus the **** is like no other.

Think some have forgotten what’s it like. Unparalleled.

I have a few Albion friends and even 1 odd family member. I don't mind the black Country Albion fans but for a couple of hours on those matchdays I hate them! It's a triba, football thing! Can't stand Brummie Albion fans anytime mind. I'm old enough to have seen us win a few times there and there is no feeling like it.
Must say that back before restrictions on away followings the Hawthorns was never a threatening place.
You should hear what they say about Molineux.

 

[BrierleyHillWolves]

Around my bit of Quarry Bank I can confirm that it he ONLY rivalry was Sandwell.

Going to the Thorns School in the early 1980’s I was surrounded by Albion fans (very few Villa fans until Gary Shaw and 1982).

My school footy team was 4 Wolves, 5 WBA and then the odd Liverpool and Villa…no Blues at all!

I still meet up with many and it’s amazing how many of my Albion mates now try and talk about golf, tennis, darts, rugby, love island or Boris Johnson rather than the boys from the Hawthorns!

Bizarrely, the last week or so they seem to have reinvigorated their enjoyment of football!

Yes 100% same , I also went to thorns. Only one rivals and hate them with a passion

 

[lets all have a disco]

Yes, Birmingham and Stoke were usually full on, More so at Saint Andrews, in the late 70,s and 80's. I always thought Albion were a place where we went to take the ****.
Stoke were always keen, but Wolves had some good results up there, but they were always up for it.

That's what I said....Albion was seen as a walk in the park...the 3 games in the 80s were so one sided it was laughable..

We all pilled in a Transit from my local in 93..... all 12 of us....was taking the **** all the way up off the motorway and largely walking all the way down Halfords lane prior to the game....It was a bit of a shock when after the game we was ambushed by about 150 Albion.....it was like Custer's last stand, had the driver not been to Calais on a booze trip and the van not full of wine bottles, and building tools ....we would have got a lot worse kicking that we did....how we manage to escape was legendary in our local....the transit was driving the wrong way down the traffic with limbs hanging out the back ....it made the front page of the express n star on the Monday...

Never again would I go to Albion with 12....the tide has turned....

 

[Golden Arrow]

We had some right games with Port Vale mid 80s through to mid 90s.....got some great stories from those games .....The one game they had to shut the away pub in burslum cause the realised every bank note in the till was counterfeit. I wondered why one bloke kept getting everybody's drinks up the bar and taking there money of them, save them queing....I recall once a Port Vale lad chasing all the wolves lads through burslum, cause nobody wanted to fight him cause the old bil had told us to be careful he has aids and HIV positive....I was crying.....

Knowing the area well, I knew the escape routes if it got a tad unsavoury on the Hamil.

 

[Golden Arrow]

I am trying not to think too much about it because we have to overcome Tuesday first. If we do, then my god, this means so much for me. I am getting old and my health is deterioating, I want to see us win there in modern day especially given the years before us. 2002 (choke year) 2007 (FA Cup, the Southbank) 2007 again (Play-Offs) 2012 (5-1) and then 2021 (Lockdown). On the latter, everyone at some point said they went through mental health issues at some point during COVID/Lockdown. But honestly, for me, it was only that day and the weeks that followed I felt depressed. Just seeing us lose to them after so many years. The look on the face of Nuno and Coady. Knowing we had all waited for that day for so long, but was stuck to watching it on TV with not a soul in the ground. It may sound somewhat dramatic. But that really got to me.

Others my age may be able to relate, but this potentially coming up is more for my son. I am gutted to say I have never even seen my lad witness us score a goal at the Hawthorns. Let alone win a game there. The only time he had chance to see a goal, was when the old bill chucked us off the metro at Wednesbury back when O'Hara scored.

The Albion game is the one for me. I remember when my lad was with the Wolves, they would give each of the boys a chance to be mascot throughout the season. A few right words here and there (and also a tidy little goodwill cash gesture to charities linked to the club) I managed to swing him being the mascot for the Wolves/West Brom game, at Molineux, first home match of either 1994 or 1995 if my memory and sons age is about right. It was an absolutely beaming hot day for anyone that remembers and it ended 1-1.

Reason I mention that is back then as the parent you could be in the tunnel just as your lad (mascot) was going out with the players. I stood there behind the players as they was entering the pitch along with a few other folk, then stood close to the dugouts before being taken up to the Billy Wright lower - and my god, the noise and atmosphere being on the pitch, yards away from the action was like something even to this day, I have never heard in my life. It was a vicious roar of noise. Even just thinking about it now gives me goosebumps. If we get the chance to go there again in a fortnights time, it will feel full circle and hopefully, the result and day we can cherish.

Please, please let us have one more chance while I can still take my lad to that hell hole and see us win and win well. It means so much to me as I know I does many on here. It is the only game I can think of where I am shaking beforehand. If we fail to win next Tuesday, some resentment will set in for a while for this current crop and I really do not want that, as I realise it wouldnt be fair either, but this is an emotional thing. C'mon now the Wolves.

Love your passion "WalsallWolf" and hope you have your day of glory.

 

[Wolf in Kenilworth]

I am trying not to think too much about it because we have to overcome Tuesday first. If we do, then my god, this means so much for me. I am getting old and my health is deterioating, I want to see us win there in modern day especially given the years before us. 2002 (choke year) 2007 (FA Cup, the Southbank) 2007 again (Play-Offs) 2012 (5-1) and then 2021 (Lockdown). On the latter, everyone at some point said they went through mental health issues at some point during COVID/Lockdown. But honestly, for me, it was only that day and the weeks that followed I felt depressed. Just seeing us lose to them after so many years. The look on the face of Nuno and Coady. Knowing we had all waited for that day for so long, but was stuck to watching it on TV with not a soul in the ground. It may sound somewhat dramatic. But that really got to me.

Others my age may be able to relate, but this potentially coming up is more for my son. I am gutted to say I have never even seen my lad witness us score a goal at the Hawthorns. Let alone win a game there. The only time he had chance to see a goal, was when the old bill chucked us off the metro at Wednesbury back when O'Hara scored.

The Albion game is the one for me. I remember when my lad was with the Wolves, they would give each of the boys a chance to be mascot throughout the season. A few right words here and there (and also a tidy little goodwill cash gesture to charities linked to the club) I managed to swing him being the mascot for the Wolves/West Brom game, at Molineux, first home match of either 1994 or 1995 if my memory and sons age is about right. It was an absolutely beaming hot day for anyone that remembers and it ended 1-1.

Reason I mention that is back then as the parent you could be in the tunnel just as your lad (mascot) was going out with the players. I stood there behind the players as they was entering the pitch along with a few other folk, then stood close to the dugouts before being taken up to the Billy Wright lower - and my god, the noise and atmosphere being on the pitch, yards away from the action was like something even to this day, I have never heard in my life. It was a vicious roar of noise. Even just thinking about it now gives me goosebumps. If we get the chance to go there again in a fortnights time, it will feel full circle and hopefully, the result and day we can cherish.

Please, please let us have one more chance while I can still take my lad to that hell hole and see us win and win well. It means so much to me as I know I does many on here. It is the only game I can think of where I am shaking beforehand. If we fail to win next Tuesday, some resentment will set in for a while for this current crop and I really do not want that, as I realise it wouldnt be fair either, but this is an emotional thing. C'mon now the Wolves.

If I could give this 2 love heart emojis I would.

 

[RedFlagWolf]

Yes 100% same , I also went to thorns. Only one rivals and hate them with a passion

I suspect your many years younger than me but was the balance still the same?

 

[BrierleyHillWolves]

I suspect your many years younger than me but was the balance still the same?

100%