Carlos Corberán’s Albion recorded a sixth clean sheet in eight games and, more importantly, secured the three points to move them into the top six ahead of Wednesday evening’s games. Brandon Thomas-Asante scored his fourth goal of the season, in all competitions, and his first since the victory over Middlesbrough in late August. It was also Albion’s second penalty of the season, the first being converted by John Swift against Swansea City.
This campaign’s total of 20 points from 13 games remains the second worst of the century ahead of last season’s tally of just 11 points. The next closest in that period was the 22 points amassed by Gary Megson’s 2001/02 team at the same stage -defeat at Nowrich City in game 13 left them also in 5th place, but just three points off the top two. That side, of course, went on to win automatic promotion, but this season’s top two already six points clear of the chasing pack, and eight points clear of Albion.
Looking ahead to game 14, the first fixture in the comparisons below sticks in my memory – Brian Talbot had taken over a few weeks earlier after Ron Atkinson deserted the club for the second time and won his first three games in charge starting with a 4-1 win at St Andrew’s. Half the Black Country seemed to be on the road to Ewood Park, myself among them, and the Baggies made it four wins in a row thanks to a goal from Chris Whyte and a deflected winner from Colin Anderson. A quick return to Division One seemed on the cards when Albion hit the top of the table on New Year’s Day, but an injury to Don Goodman in the cup tie with Everton proved pivotal as they fell away and finished ninth, albeit with an impressive 72 points.
| 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 | |
| 1988/1989 | 13 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 15 | 10 | 20 | 6th | 3 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 11 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 6 | 9 | 9th | 72 |
| 1989/1990 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 20 | 21 | 16 | 13th | 1 | 3 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 20th | 51 |
| 1990/1991 | 13 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 14th | 2 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 23rd | 48 |
| 1993/1994 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 22 | 22 | 15 | 17th | 4 | 2 | 1 | 17 | 11 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 11 | 1 | 21st | 51 |
| 1994/1995 | 13 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 10 | 22 | 10 | 23rd | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 16 | 3 | 19th | 58 |
| 1995/1996 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 13 | 24 | 2nd | 5 | 1 | 1 | 10 | 4 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 11th | 60 |
| 1996/1997 | 13 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 14th | 1 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 10 | 16th | 57 |
| 1997/1998 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 12 | 24 | 3rd | 4 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 10th | 61 |
| 1998/1999 | 13 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 27 | 23 | 20 | 9th | 4 | 0 | 3 | 16 | 10 | 12 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 13 | 8 | 12th | 59 |
| 1999/2000 | 13 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 12 | 10 | 17 | 14th | 0 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 4 | 12 | 21st | 49 |
| 2000/2001 | 13 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 13 | 13 | 23 | 6th | 4 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 10 | 6th | 74 |
| 2001/2002 | 13 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 16 | 12 | 22 | 5th | 4 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 4 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 2nd | 89 |
| 2003/2004 | 13 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 20 | 12 | 28 | 2nd | 6 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 5 | 18 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 2nd | 86 |
| 2006/2007 | 13 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 24 | 11 | 25 | 3rd | 5 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 4 | 16 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 4th | 76 |
| 2007/2008 | 13 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 27 | 15 | 23 | 3rd | 6 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 3 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 12 | 4 | 1st | 81 |
| 2009/2010 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 24 | 13 | 24 | 1st | 4 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 6 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 7 | 11 | 2nd | 91 |
| 2018/2019 | 13 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 31 | 18 | 24 | 3rd | 5 | 0 | 1 | 20 | 7 | 15 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 4th | 80 |
| 2019/2020 | 13 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 24 | 15 | 26 | 1st | 3 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 10 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 14 | 2nd | 83 |
| 2021/2022 | 13 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 22 | 11 | 25 | 3rd | 4 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 14 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 11 | 7 | 11 | 10th | 67 |
| 2022/2023 | 13 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 17 | 18 | 11 | 22nd | 1 | 4 | 2 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 9th | 66 |
| 2023/2024 | 13 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 20 | 14 | 20 | 5th | 4 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 6 | 14 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 8 | 6 | ||
| * Positions are recorded as Albion’s position in the table after all fixtures for that day have been completed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Results
| 1988/1989 | 26/10/1988 | Manchester City (H) | W | 1-0 | Durnin |
| 1989/1990 | 21/10/1989 | Hull City (H) | D | 1-1 | Parkin |
| 1990/1991 | 03/11/1990 | Bristol Rovers (H) | W | 3-1 | West (2), Anderson |
| 1993/1994 | 30/10/1993 | Watford (H) | W | 4-1 | Hunt (2), Hamilton, Taylor |
| 1994/1995 | 22/10/1994 | Barnsley (A) | L | 0-2 | |
| 1995/1996 | 21/10/1995 | Portsmouth (H) | W | 2-1 | Ashcroft, Hunt |
| 1996/1997 | 26/10/1996 | Bradford City (H) | D | 0-0 | |
| 1997/1998 | 25/10/1997 | Sheffield United (H) | W | 2-0 | Hunt, Hughes |
| 1998/1999 | 21/10/1998 | Queen’s Park Rangers (H) | W | 2-0 | Evans, Murphy |
| 1999/2000 | 26/10/1999 | Crystal Palace (A) | W | 2-0 | Flynn, Maresca |
| 2000/2001 | 17/10/2000 | Wolverhampton Wanderers (H) | W | 1-0 | Hughes (pen) |
| 2001/2002 | 19/10/2001 | Norwich City (A) | L | 0-2 | |
| 2003/2004 | 18/10/2003 | Norwich City (H) | W | 1-0 | Koumas |
| 2006/2007 | 22/10/2006 | Wolverhampton Wanderers (H) | W | 3-0 | Greening, Kamara, Hartson (pen) |
| 2007/2008 | 27/10/2007 | Norwich City (H) | W | 2-0 | Miller, Phillips |
| 2009/2010 | 20/10/2009 | Swansea City (H) | L | 0-1 | |
| 2018/2019 | 20/10/2018 | Wigan Athletic (A) | L | 0-1 | |
| 2019/2020 | 22/10/2019 | Barnsley (H) | D | 2-2 | Diaby (o.g.), Pereira |
| 2021/2022 | 20/10/2021 | Swansea City (A) | L | 1-2 | Grant |
| 2022/2023 | 08/10/2022 | Luton Town (H) | D | 0-0 | |
| 2023/2024 | 24/10/2023 | Queen’s Park Rangers (H) | W | 2-0 | Thomas-Asante (pen), Diangana |
Next Matches
| 1988/1989 | 29/10/1988 | Blackburn Rovers (A) | W | 2-1 | Whyte, Anderson |
| 1989/1990 | 28/10/1989 | Middlesbrough (A) | D | 0-0 | |
| 1990/1991 | 06/11/1990 | Middlesbrough (H) | L | 0-1 | |
| 1993/1994 | 02/11/1993 | Tranmere Rovers (A) | L | 0-3 | |
| 1994/1995 | 29/10/1994 | Reading (H) | W | 2-0 | Hunt, Ashcroft |
| 1995/1996 | 28/10/1995 | Millwall (A) | L | 1-2 | Hunt |
| 1996/1997 | 30/10/1996 | Swindon Town (A) | W | 3-2 | Holmes, Peschisolido, Sneekes |
| 1997/1998 | 01/11/1997 | Bradford City (A) | D | 0-0 | |
| 1998/1999 | 24/10/1998 | Swindon Town (A) | D | 2-2 | Hughes, Flynn |
| 1999/2000 | 31/10/1999 | Wolverhampton Wanderers (H) | D | 1-1 | McDermott |
| 2000/2001 | 21/10/2000 | Tranmere Rovers (A) | D | 2-2 | Hughes, Roberts |
| 2001/2002 | 25/10/2001 | Wolverhampton Wanderers (H) | D | 1-1 | Clement |
| 2003/2004 | 21/10/2003 | Wimbledon (H) | L | 0-1 | |
| 2006/2007 | 28/10/2006 | Birmingham City (A) | L | 0-2 | |
| 2007/2008 | 03/11/2007 | Watford (A) | W | 3-0 | Miller, Phillips, Albrechtsen |
| 2009/2010 | 24/10/2009 | Coventry City (A) | D | 0-0 | |
| 2018/2019 | 24/10/2018 | Derby County (H) | L | 1-4 | Rodriguez |
| 2019/2020 | 26/10/2019 | Charlton Athletic (H) | D | 2-2 | Phillips, Robson-Kanu |
| 2021/2022 | 23/10/2021 | Bristol City (H) | W | 3-0 | Hugill, Bartley, Grant |
| 2022/2023 | 15/10/2022 | Reading (A) | W | 2-0 | Phillips, Gardner-Hickman |
| 2023/2024 | 30/10/2023 | Coventry City (A) |
