West Brom

One of the things that happened to me when I was a child was West Bromwich Albion. Unusually, for most people pick either a local team or a team that is doing well, I didn't pick the nearest team (probably Birmingham City) or a team that was doing well (can't think who it was then, maybe Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool or perhaps Leeds or Chelsea) but a team who I noticed were relatively local and had just lost the League Cup Final to a team two divisions lower. It was West Brom 2 QPR 3 and a picture of midfielder Ian Collard that hooked me. No idea why. We won the FA Cup the following year. Within two years I had a season ticket and saw the Baggies slump to relegation some years later. They got to the League Cup Final in 1970 (lost to Man City in extra time) and I had a ticket but was involved in a serious car accident on the way there, losing two teeth in the process, and never saw the game. I still have the ticket somewhere. I still don't have the teeth.

Three seasons in old Division 2 (now called Division 1) and then a few excellent seasons back in the top flight with good players and good managers, many of whom left for better things leaving us in the lurch. Mid eighties and we slumped down again, being relegated to the third flight in 1991.

Two seasons later we made it back again and I was at Wembley for the play off final 1993, with my sons. 23 years wait for the teeth to be avenged. Beat Port Vale 3-0 (Hunt, Reid, Donovan).

Now we have been in the Premiership for one season, failed to make the grade and come straight back down and are top of Divison 1 as I write. Boing boing baggies baggies is the chant as we bounce between Premiership and Division 1. Top flight football with all the changes of kick off times was impossible to organise and so, whilst still loving the Baggies with most of my heart, I watch Leamington FC in the Midland Combination Premership when I need live football. It's a reasonable standard, a crowd of 300-500 and a lot of fun listening to terrace wit. Terraces you see. Long gone elsewhere.

I might have been a good footballer. I was talented at 14 and had a couple of trials but at a rugby playing school I didn't get much chance to push it. Retired aged 44 after winning my only ever medal playing alongside my son in the Midlands Christian League in 1998. Miss it terribly.

Last night West Brom beat Bradford away with an 88th minute winner. Three points clear at the top.