While the previous Saturday at Valley Parade was tense and nervous, Saturday 21st April 2002 was a celebration at the Hawthorns that those who were present will remember for ever. Looking back, I certainly felt confident that the work was done and Megson’s Albion would do the business against Crystal Palace. Others may have felt differently, but the way in…
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West Brom 2 Rotherham United 1 Albion finally recorded their first home league victory over Rotherham United at the fourth time of asking, but it took two goals in three minutes late in the game to secure the three points. The winner was Rekeem Harper’s first senior goal for the club and capped off what was a man-of-the-match performance from…
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While more Baggies fans will have been at the home match the following Sunday, those like myself that were present at Valley Parade on Saturday 13th April 2002 will almost certainly mark the conversion of an injury time penalty by Igor Balis as the moment that a return to the top flight of English football was assured. There may have…
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Reading 0 West Brom 0 Despite a much improved second half performance, Albion had to settle for a point at Reading, a result that was celebrated wildly by the home fans as it secured their Championship status for another season. For those in the away end, there were no such celebrations as that result coupled with the Blades’ win at…
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On Friday 5th April 2002, Steve Claridge became the toast of Baggies fans has his penalty for Millwall at the New Den condemned Wolves to yet another defeat and Albion now had automatic promotion in their own hands. Win all their games and the Baggies were promoted, and the first target was Rotherham United who travelled to the Hawthorns for…
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Three days after the Good Friday victory over Barnsley, Megson’s side travelled to Highfield Road to take on Roland Nilsson’s Coventry City on what proved to be a pivotal day in the promotion run-in. Albion went into the game knowing that victory would move them level with Wolves after their Black Country neighbours had become the April fools having been…
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