By the next time that an Albion side visits Oakwell, 75 years will have passed since their previous victory at that stadium thanks to a third goalless draw in five games for Valérien Ismaël’s team. It was a game that the Baggies should have won comfortably but a combination of superb last ditch defending and poor finishing meant that the game finished all square and the gap to the top two was reduced by just one point.
Four of Albion’s 21st century second tier campaigns have earned more than 41 points from the opening 23 games, and all of them were promoted. This season’s tally has been matched by three previous teams this century and only one of them, Megson’s 2000/2001 side, failed to win promotion come the end of the season.
In total, 21 Albion teams have enjoyed better starts to the season with the best achieved in 1901/02 when Frank Heaven’s promotion-chasing side drew away to Gainsborough Trinity, a side they had beaten 7-0 at the Hawthorns earlier in the season, to move them onto 38 points, equivalent to 55 points when 3-points-for-a-win is applied.
The title winning side of 1919/20 are the next best with an equivalent of 51 points from 23 games just ahead Slaven Bilić’s side of a century later who sat atop the table with 50 points on Christmas Day 2019.
| Home | Away | Season End | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pld | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | Posn* | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | Posn | Pts | |
| 2000/2001 | 23 | 12 | 5 | 6 | 32 | 27 | 41 | 3rd | 7 | 2 | 3 | 19 | 14 | 23 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 13 | 18 | 6th | 74 |
| 2001/2002 | 23 | 13 | 2 | 8 | 26 | 19 | 41 | 4th | 7 | 1 | 4 | 12 | 6 | 22 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 13 | 19 | 2nd | 89 |
| 2003/2004 | 23 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 35 | 20 | 45 | 1st | 6 | 4 | 2 | 16 | 9 | 22 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 19 | 11 | 23 | 2nd | 86 |
| 2006/2007 | 23 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 39 | 24 | 36 | 8th | 8 | 2 | 1 | 26 | 8 | 26 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 13 | 16 | 10 | 4th | 76 |
| 2007/2008 | 23 | 12 | 5 | 6 | 47 | 28 | 41 | 2nd | 7 | 3 | 1 | 25 | 10 | 24 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 22 | 18 | 17 | 1st | 81 |
| 2009/2010 | 23 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 48 | 22 | 45 | 2nd | 7 | 2 | 3 | 25 | 11 | 23 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 23 | 11 | 22 | 2nd | 91 |
| 2018/2019 | 23 | 12 | 6 | 5 | 50 | 31 | 42 | 3rd | 6 | 3 | 2 | 29 | 16 | 21 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 21 | 15 | 21 | 4th | 80 |
| 2019/2020 | 23 | 14 | 8 | 1 | 46 | 24 | 50 | 1st | 6 | 5 | 0 | 29 | 16 | 23 | 8 | 3 | 1 | 17 | 8 | 27 | 2nd | 83 |
| 2021/2022 | 23 | 11 | 8 | 4 | 30 | 17 | 41 | 3rd | 7 | 4 | 0 | 17 | 5 | 25 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 12 | 16 | ||
| * Positions are recorded as Albion’s position in the table after all fixtures for that day have been completed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Results
| 2000/2001 | 16/12/2000 | Watford (A) | D | 3-3 | Hughes, Bardsen (o.g.), Roberts |
| 2001/2002 | 12/12/2001 | Coventry City (H) | W | 1-0 | Konjic (o.g.) |
| 2003/2004 | 13/12/2003 | Crewe Alexandra (H) | D | 2-2 | Haas, Gregan |
| 2006/2007 | 16/12/2006 | Coventry City (H) | W | 5-0 | Kamara (2, 1 pen), Koumas, Phillips, Robinson |
| 2007/2008 | 22/12/2007 | Stoke City (A) | L | 1-3 | Bednár |
| 2009/2010 | 28/12/2009 | Scunthorpe United (A) | W | 3-1 | Dorrans (2, 1 pen), Zuiverloon |
| 2018/2019 | 22/12/2018 | Rotherham United (A) | W | 4-0 | Gayle (3), Barnes |
| 2019/2020 | 21/12/2019 | Brentford (H) | D | 1-1 | Furlong |
| 2021/2022 | 17/12/2021 | Barnsley (A) | D | 0-0 |
Next Matches
| 2000/2001 | 23/12/2000 | Nottingham Forest (H) | W | 3-0 | Roberts (2), Olsen (o.g.) |
| 2001/2002 | 15/12/2001 | Crewe Alexandra (A) | D | 1-1 | Jordão |
| 2003/2004 | 20/12/2003 | Coventry City (A) | L | 0-1 | |
| 2006/2007 | 23/12/2006 | Plymouth Argyle (A) | D | 2-2 | Phillips (2) |
| 2007/2008 | 26/12/2007 | Bristol City (H) | W | 4-1 | Bednár, Koren, Phillips (2) |
| 2009/2010 | 08/01/2010 | Nottingham Forest (H) | L | 1-3 | Bednár |
| 2018/2019 | 26/12/2018 | Wigan Athletic (H) | W | 2-0 | Rodriguez (2) |
| 2019/2020 | 26/12/2019 | Barnsley (A) | D | 1-1 | Krovinovic |
| 2021/2022 | 27/12/2021 | Derby County (A) |
If you cannot see the tables, click here.
