Match of the Day - Week 23

Our Week 23 fixture is Middlesbrough v West Brom.

Match of the Day comes from Ayresome Park in February 1991, when both sides were languishing in League Division 2.

Yes, it's a five-goal thriller, the winner is an 87th minute howler from the West Brom goalie and where, in this era of compulsory under-soil heating do you ever see snow piled behind the goals?

But our eyes are drawn inexorably to the narrow, cool-as, stanchions holding up the goal nets. Guys on Twitter told me the stanchions at one end of the ground are narrower than at the other; check them out.

The Big Match - Week 7

This week's Big Match comes from Stamford Bridge on the corresponding weekend in 1978 and features the West Brom side of Regis, Cunningham and Batson (and Godden, Robson, Wile, Statham and the two Browns!) simply overwhelm a poor Chelsea side.

It's also a showcase for the Stamford Bridge hardware which remained fantastic, despite the downturn in Chelsea's fortunes.

Match of the Day - Week 5

Match of the Day previews a fixture this weekend through 30-year eyes...

It's West Brom v West Ham from the Hawthorns in 1986.

A 5-goal thriller and classic Continental D's.

Enjoy.

West Bromwich Albion FC

About the time Big Ron and Regis, Batson and Cunningham were thrashing Man United, the Baggies were matching the glamour of visiting sides such Red Star Belgrade with classic Continental D's at the Hawthorns.




Back a further twenty years and you see West Brom were firm proponents of the Continental D.

Off the stanchions at Wembley - Glyn Pardoe

Not the most dramatic of rebounds off the Wembley stanchions - you'll see Glyn Pardoe's toe-poke rolls juuuuust far enough to trouble the architecture:




But really, the Pardoe goal is just a good excuse to show the highlights from the 1970 League Cup final in full.

The snow piled up behind the goals and along the sidelines.

The Wembley turf churned up like Aintree on Grand National day.

The stanchions and the nets, never looked better.

Will we ever see the likes again?