West Bromwich Albion FC is a historic professional football club based in West Bromwich, West Midlands, England. Competing in the EFL Championship, English football’s second tier, the club was established in 1878 as West Bromwich Strollers by workers from George Salter’s Spring Works. Renamed West Bromwich Albion in 1880, it became the first team to adopt the ‘Albion’ suffix. A founding member of the English Football League in 1888, West Bromwich Albion has played home matches at The Hawthorns since 1900.
West Bromwich Albion FC Updates
West Brom are playing their fourth consecutive season at Championship level in 2024/25, having last played in the Premier League in 2020/21. This season the club have played 10 matches in the Championship, winning 5, losing 2 and drawing 3. They are currently ranked 5th out of the 24 teams in the Championship, winning 50% of their matches. They have scored 13 goals in the League so far and conceded 7 giving them an average of 2 goals per match to date in the Championship.
To keep up to date with updates on West Brom throughout the season check out The Real Efl.
West Bromwich Albion FC Transfer News and Rumours
Eleven players joined the club, including the permanent signing of Irish international Mikey Johnston from Celtic. Central midfielder Uros Racic arrived from Sassuolo, while Norwegian defender Torbjorn Heggem has arrived from Swedish football.
In terms of departures, some key players left the club during the summer. Brandon Thomas-Asante was the biggest departure, leaving for Coventry for around £2.5million. Turkish midfielder Okay Yokuslu also left the club for over £1million, returning to Turkish football with Trabzonspor. Conor Townsend moved to Ipswich for an undisclosed fee, bringing an end to his six years at the Hawthorns.
In terms of transfer rumours ahead of the January Transfer window, West Brom have found themselves heavily linked with Leicester striker Tom Cannon over recent weeks.
The club has also been linked with a move for highly rated midfielder Ethan Erhahon currently at Lincoln City.
West Bromwich Albion FC Signings
Below is a list of all the incomings at the club during the 2024 Summer Transfer Window.
| Player | Age | Nationality | Left | Fee (£) | Contract Duration |
| Mikey Johnston | 25 | Ireland | Celtic | £3,000,000 | 4 years |
| Calum Styles | 24 | Hungary | Barnsley | £500,000 | 4 years |
| Torbjorn Heggem | 25 | Norwegian | Brommapojkarna | £500,000 | 3 years |
| Gianluca Frabotta | 25 | Italy | Juventus | Free Transfer | 3 years |
| Devante Cole | 29 | England | Barnsley | Free Transfer | 2 years |
| Joe Wildsmith | 28 | England | Derby | Free Transfer | 2 years |
| Mason Holgate | 27 | England | Everton | Loan | 1 Year |
| Paddy McNair | 29 | Northern Ireland | San Diego F.C | Loan | 1 Year |
| Uros Racic | 26 | Serbia | Sassuolo | Loan | 1 Year |
| Lewis Dobbin | 21 | England | Aston Villa | Loan | 1 Year |
| Ousmane Diakite | 23 | Mali | TSV Hartberg | Free Transfer | 3 Years |
West Bromwich Albion Key Matches of the season
Below is a list of ten key matches that could be instrumental in deciding West Brom’s fate in this season’s Championship.
| Date | Match |
| November 1st 2024 | West Brom vs Burnley |
| November 23rd 2024 | West Brom vs Norwich City |
| December 11th 2024 | West Brom vs Coventry City |
| December 15th 2024 | Watford vs West Brom |
| December 26th 2024 | Derby County vs West Brom |
| December 29th 2024 | Sheffield United vs West Brom |
| January 18th 2025 | West Brom vs Stoke City |
| January 21st 2025 | Middlesbrough vs West Brom |
| February 12th 2025 | West Brom vs Blackburn Rovers |
| March 01st 2025 | Leeds United vs West Brom |
West Brom fans should expect their team to be in the shake-up for at least a play-off spot this season so they should keep an eye on all the fixtures listed above, with so many of them against sides expected to be up there with West Brom at the end of the season.
Check out a full list of West Brom’s 2024/25 EFL Championship fixtures at https://www.scoreaxis.com/team/west-bromwich-albion/KKFAGW/.
West Bromwich Albion Key Achievements
West Bromwich Albion FC experienced its most successful era during the 1950s and 1960s. In the 1953/54 season, they nearly became the first English team to win both the League and FA Cup, capturing the FA Cup but finishing as League runners-up to Wolves. The club also secured three consecutive top-five League finishes in 1957/58, 1958/59, and 1959/60.
The 1960s brought further success for West Bromwich Albion FC, with wins in the 1965/66 League Cup and the 1968 FA Cup—their last major trophy to date. After being relegated in 1973, they quickly rebounded, gaining promotion three years later and advancing to the UEFA Cup quarterfinals in the 1978/79 season, where they narrowly lost to Red Star Belgrade, finishing 3rd in the League.
Since the formation of the Premier League in 1992, West Bromwich Albion FC has frequently moved between the Premier League and Championship, achieving promotion five times and winning the Championship title in 2008. They have since accumulated 13 seasons in the Premier League.
- 1953/54 FA Cup winners
- 1953/54 League Runners-Up
- 1965/66 League Cup winners
- 1968 FA Cup winners
- 1978/79 UEFA Cup quarter finalists
- EFL Championship winners 2007/2008
West Bromwich Albion Current Squad
West Brom have put together an exciting and competitive squad for the EFL Championship this season. Below we will look at the different parts of their squad as they bid to at least reach the playoffs once again.
West Bromwich Albion Attackers
Josh Maja has been the standout attacker for West Brom this season, hitting 7 League goals in 10 games. Karlan Grant, Tom Fellows, Grady Diangana and new signing Mikey Johnston are the other exciting attacking options Carlos Corberan can call upon this season.
West Bromwich Albion Midfielders
Corberan usually sets up with three midfielders, with one usually further forward as a No 10. This role has been generally taken up by either John Swift or Grady Diangana for much of the season. In the deeper lying midfield spots, Corberan has called on Alex Mowatt most, with Uros Racic or Jayson Molumby usually partnering him in midfield.
West Bromwich Albion Defenders
In defence, the back four of Darnell Furlong, Semi Ajayi, Kyle Bartley and new arrival Torbjorn Heggem has been the go-to defence for West Brom this season, lining-up in all 10 League games so far. In reserve, they can call on the likes of former Premier League players Paddy McNair and Mason Holgate, as well as summer signing Gianluca Frabotta.
West Bromwich Albion Goal Keepers
Alex Palmer played every League game for the Baggies last season and has continued that run in 2024/25. Palmer has played in every League game up to now, with back up keeper Joe Wildsmith playing in the EFL Cup defeat to Fleetwood.
West Bromwich Albion Managing and Coaching Staff
The current Head Coach of West Brom is Carlos Corberan.
The former Huddersfield Town boss returned to the EFL Championship in October 2022, after a spell in Greece with Olympiacos, taking over a West Brom team that were second bottom of the League after 16 games. He revitalised the team, winning 10 of his first 13 games and got them within touching distance of the Play-Offs during his first season in charge.
In his second season, the 2023/24 campaign, he led the club to 5th, and a place in the playoffs, where they were beaten by eventual winners Southampton over two legs.
Some of Corberan’s coaching principles are like those of his former boss Marcelo Bielsa, who he worked with as an assistant at Leeds for two years, before becoming the head coach of Huddersfield in 2020.
He tends to line-up his West Brom team in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 when in attack, which tends to shift into a 4-4-2 when out of possession. They attack with a calmness in possession and with positional play to avoid becoming predictable to the opposition.
No Head Coach is an island however, and Corberan has some trusted assistants working with him at West Brom. These include his Assistant First Team Coach Jorge Alarcon, his First Team Statistical Analyst Damia Abella and First Team Goalkeeping Coach Marcus Abad.
West Bromwich Albion Former Managers & Key Coaches
Current Head Coach Carlos Corberan is West Brom’s longest serving boss since Tony Pulis left on November 20th, 2017. In the time between Pulis and Corberan, who took over in October 2022, 6 permanent managers were employed by the club. Alan Pardew, Darren Moore, Slaven Bilic, Sam Allardyce, Valerian Ismael and Steve Bruce have all tried their hand at managing West Brom with some enjoying better spells than others.
West Brom fans will hop that Corberan can establish himself as a great West Brom manager and lead the club to the lofty heights of the Premier League once again.
With that in mind, let’s look at some of the most iconic managers the club has had during its 146-year history.
Fred Everiss 1902 – 1948
- West Brom’s longest serving boss ever
- Managed the club in over 1500 games between 1902 and 1948
- Football League First Division winners 1919/20
- FA Cup Winners 1931
Vic Buckingham 1953 – 1959
- Managed the club in 301 games between 1953 and 1959
- FA Cup winners in 1954
- Runners Up in 1954 First Division
- Won 130 of his 301 games in charge
Alan Ashman 1967 -1971
- Managed the club for 182 games
- FA Cup Winners 1968
- FA Cup Sem-Finalists 1969
- European Cup Winners Cup Quarter finalist 1969
Gary Megson 2000 – 2004
- Managed the club 221 times from March 9th, 2000, until October 26th, 2004
- Achieved promotion to the Premier League in 2001/2002 by leapfrogging Wolves to automatic promotion.
- Gained promotion once again during 2003/04 season
- Left the club with a win rate of 42.5%
West Bromwich Albion FC Legends
Some great figures and players have graced the Hawthorns pitch in the colours of West Bromwich Albion over the years with some earning themselves a place amongst the club’s most revered and legendary players. Here we look at 5 of West Bromwich Albion’s most famous players.
Ronnie Allen
- Allen scored 234 goals in 458 games for West Brom, making him the second highest goal scorer in the club’s history after Tony Brown.
- Moved from Port Vale in 1950 for £20,000, a club record at the time.
- Regarded as one of the most complete forwards to ever play for the club, Allen scored two goals in the 1954 FA Cup Final.
Cyrille Regis
- Played for the club between 1977 and 1984.
- Scored 112 goals in 302 appearances.
- Voted West Brom’s All Time Cult Hero in a BBC poll in 2004.
Bryan Robson
- Played 245 times for the club from 1974 to 1981.
- Suffered three leg breaks in one season during the 1976/77 season.
- Left the club for Manchester United in 1981 for £1.5 million.
- Returned to the club as manager in 2004 and led them to the ‘Great Escape’ from relegation during the 2004/2005 campaign.
Jeff Astle
- Joined the club for £25,000 from Notts County.
- A classic centre-forward, Astle scored 174 goals in 361 games.
- Scored in every round of the 1967/68 FA Cup as West Brom won the trophy.
- Has a permanent memorial in the form of the Astle Gates at the entrance of the Hawthorns.
Tony Brown
- Known as ‘Bomber’ Tony Brown scored 279 goals in 720 matches for West Brom.
- Won the League Cup in 1966 and the FA Cup in 1968.
- Holds the appearance and goalscoring record at the club.
- A statue of Tony Brown was erected at the East Stand of the Hawthorns on November 6th, 2014.
West Bromwich Albion FC Metrics and Performance
The 2024/25 season is the club’s fourth consecutive season in the EFL Championship. Last season, the club finished 5th in the League table on 75 points. They won 21 of their 46 League games, drew 12 and lost 13. This gave them a 1.63 points per game total for the season.
In the 2022/23 campaign, they finished 9th on 66 points, which is 1.43 points per game. They won 18 of their 46 League games, drew 12 and lost 16.
West Brom finished the 2021/22 season in 10th position on 67 points, 1.46 points per game. They won 18, drew 13 and lost 15.
Check out The Real EFL’s prediction page to see where the team expects West Brom to finish this season.
Watch West Bromwich Albion Latest Highlights
West Bromwich Albion Pitch and Amenities
West Brom play their home matches at The Hawthorns stadium in West Bromwich. The club moved into the Hawthorns in 1900 and have played there ever since. The ground currently has a capacity of 26,688.
Special features of the stadium include a statue to the club’s record goal scorer and appearance holder Tony Brown, which can be found outside the club’s East Stand. The Jeff Astle Gates were built in honour of one of the club’s most beloved former players. They are located at the Birmingham Road End of the ground.
West Bromwich Albion Fan Base and Support
The official West Brom Supporters Club was launched in 1951 and has increased to include fans from the likes of Australia, New Zealand and Dubai under the title of the ‘Albion Fan Family’.
The aim of this fan led collective is to improve the voice of fans of the club and to act for the benefit of the Fan Clubs of West Bromwich Albion. It plans on doing this by recognising the independence and unique nature of all the club’s Fan Groups, as well supporting and encouraging new groups.
For information on fan groups, visit the Supporter Group section on the official West Bromwich Albion FC website.
West Bromwich Albion Rivalries and Notable Matches
The club’s biggest rivals are Wolverhampton Wanderers with whom they play the Black Country Derby. The two clubs are separated by just 11 miles, and first played one another on January 20th, 1883.
Historically, West Brom have also enjoyed a fierce rivalry with Aston Villa, from nearby Birmingham. The matches between the two teams are known as the West Midlands Derby and the two teams first played one another on December 9th, 1882.
Statistically West Brom and Wolves have faced one another 163 times in English football, with West Brom winning 65 times, Wolves winning 54 matches and there have been 44 draws.
West Bromwich Albion Facts
| Field | Details |
| Club Name | West Bromwich Albion F.C. |
| Founded | 1878 |
| Home Stadium | The Hawthorns |
| Location | Halfords Lane, West Bromwich, England |
| Website | https://www.wba.co.uk/ |
| League | EFL Championship |
| Social media | https://x.com/WBA |
West Bromwich Albion History
West Bromwich Albion FC was founded in 1878 as “West Bromwich Strollers” by workers from the George Salter Springs factory, later adopting the name West Bromwich Albion FC in 1880. Just eight years later, they became the first club from the Midlands to reach an FA Cup Final, though they lost to Blackburn Rovers. After another defeat in the 1887 final, they triumphed in 1888, beating Preston. That same year, they became one of the 12 founding members of the English Football League, the world’s first professional league—both achievements reached within a decade of the club’s founding.
In 1930/31, West Bromwich Albion FC made history by winning the FA Cup and earning promotion to the top tier in the same season—a record that remains unmatched.
Following World War II, the club experienced a resurgence. The 1953/54 season brought an exciting team that won the club’s fourth FA Cup and narrowly missed out on the League title by four points. Success continued in the 1960s, with West Bromwich Albion FC winning the League Cup in 1966 and their fifth FA Cup in 1968.
The club’s growing fame led to a groundbreaking trip to China in 1978, which was featured in the BBC documentary World About Us. In the following season, they finished third in the First Division and reached the UEFA Cup quarterfinals. Led by Cyrille Regis, Laurie Cunningham, and Brendon Batson, West Bromwich Albion FC became the first team to field three Black players at once, playing a major role in advancing racial diversity in English football. Unfortunately, this talented team was dismantled prematurely, and in 1985/86, the club was relegated, spending 16 years outside the top flight.
While they missed the Premier League’s first decade, West Bromwich Albion FC earned promotion in 2001/02 under Gary Megson. Former player Bryan Robson later led the club to the historic “Great Escape” in 2004/05, saving them from relegation after being bottom at Christmas—the first team to achieve this. Their longest Premier League stint began with their promotion in 2009/10 and lasted eight seasons. In 2016, longtime owner Jeremy Peace sold the club to a Chinese consortium. After being relegated in 2017/18, West Bromwich Albion FC managed a brief promotion in 2019/20 before returning to the Championship, where they remain. The club was sold again in 2024, with Bilkul Football WBA taking ownership.
West Bromwich Albion Social Media Links
For all the latest news about West Brom, including fixtures, special occasions, hospitality and all the necessary fan information check out the club’s website at https://www.wba.co.uk/ or their social media @ https://x.com/WBA.
Frequently Asked Questions on West Bromwich Albion
Why does WBA sing Psalm 23?
The song was sung by fans at a rare Sunday game in 1970s and has been sung at matches ever since
How much is West Bromwich Albion Worth?
Shilen Patel acquired 87.8% of the club in February at a reported cost of £60 million
Why did WBA change their name?
The club was founded as the West Brom Strollers by workers from George Salter’s Spring Works in West Bromwich, but changed their name in 1880, becoming the first team to adopt the Albion suffix.
Why is West Bromwich Albion called Albion?
The club became West Bromwich Albion in 1880. Albion was a district of West Bromwich where some of the players lived or worked, close to what is known today as Greets Green.
Why do West Brom say, “boing boing”?
The origin of the phrase Boing Boing is unknown, but it started during the 1992/93 season. The fans celebrate goals by bouncing up and down and chanting ‘Boing Boing’.
What are West Brom fans called?
Although originally known as the ‘Throstles’ the club are now more popularly known as ‘The Baggies’
Who are the famous supporters of West Brom?
Some famous fans of the club include Television Presenter Adrian Chiles, Comedian Frank Skinner, Rolling Stones Guitarist Ronnie Wood and TV Presenter Cat Deeley.
Who is the owner of West Brom?
The owners of the club are Bilkul Football WBA, who acquired the club in 2024.