West Brom Betting

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Latest West Brom Betting Odds:
To win the Premiership
To be relegated
To win the Champions League
To win the UEFA Cup
To win the FA Cup
To win the Carling Cup
Match Betting

Club History

The club was founded as West Bromwich Strollers in 1878 by workers from George Salter’s Spring Works in West Bromwich, then in Staffordshire but now part of the West Midlands. They were renamed West Bromwich Albion in 1880, becoming the first team to adopt the “Albion” suffix. Albion was a district of West Bromwich where some of the players lived or worked. West Bromwich Albion (also known as West Brom or The Baggies), have played their home games at The Hawthorns since 1900. West Brom became a professional side in 1885 and were one of the founding members of The Football League in 1888. They have spent the majority of their existence in the top tier of English football. However, since the early 1980s the club has been less successful. From 1986 to 2002 they spent their longest ever period out of the top flight, although there has been something of a renaissance in recent years.

Opportunities to Bet on West Bromwich Albion

West Brom and the Premiership
West Brom have been League Champions, in the 1919-20 season. In 42 games they scored 104 goals and conceded just 47, eventually finishing 9 points clear of Burnley. 2008-09 will be the club’s fourth season in the Premier League since 2002. Although seemingly better equipped for their latest assault on the Premiership, bookmakers opening West Brom odds of 5000/1 seemed fair enough. However, West Brom betting in the relegation market seemed short, with the likes of Hull and Stoke involved. Perhaps the best bet on West Brom is “to stay up.”

Betting on West Brom Premiership Matches
West Brom have always seemed, inexplicably, to lack consistency in their ventures into the top flight. On a “going” day, they are capable of competing with the best. However, on a bad day, they can lose to anyone. Betting on West Brom matches is too much of a gamble and best left alone.

Domestic Cup Competitions

FA Cup
The Baggies have enjoyed great success in the FA Cup, with five wins. West Brom reached their first FA Cup final in 1886 , losing 2-0 to Blackburn Rovers in a replay. They reached the final again in 1887, but lost 2-0 to Aston Villa. In 1888 (the year the Football League was founded) West Brom won their first FA Cup, beating favourites Preston North End 2-1 in the final. They gained revenge over Aston Villa in 1892, beating them 3-0 in the final at Kennington Oval. West Brom had to wait nearly 40 years for their next FA Cup success. They met Birmingham City in the 1931 final at Wembley, a brace of goals from “Ginger” Richardson securing the trophy for the Baggies, 2-1.

In 1954, West Brom defeated Preston again in the final, a Frank Griffin goal, three minutes from time, giving them their fourth success. Their most recent success and (as of 2008) last major trophy came in 1968 with a 1-0 victory over Everton. Jeff Astle’s injury-time goal meant he had scored in every round of the competition. West Brom were also losing FA Cup finalists in 1895, 1912 and 1935. The Baggies reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup in 2007-08, losing 1-0 to subsequent winners Portsmouth, and round 5 in 2006-07, exiting 5-4 on penalties to Middlesbrough. With a decent cup pedigree and good recent form in the competition West Brom betting odds, in the region of 80/1 look attractive for the 2008-09 competition.

League Cup
West Brom were successful in the 1966 League Cup, at their first attempt. In the last final to be played over two legs, West Brom lost the away leg 2-1 to West Ham, but prevailed 4-1 at the Hawthorns, winning 5-3 on aggregate. In 1967, having dispatched Aston Villa, Manchester City and West Ham, the Baggies were hot favourites to beat Third Division Queens Park Rangers in the Wembley final. They led 2-0 at half-time, but a late goal from Mark Lazarus gave the Londoners a surprise win. In the 1970 final, Jeff Astle gave the Baggies the lead after five minutes, becoming the first player to score in the League and FA Cup finals at Wembley. Opponents Manchester City equalised, eventually winning 2-1 in extra time. Their best recent performance was a quarter-final appearance in 2003-04. An early 2008-09 exit to Hartlepool negates the need to comment on West Brom betting.

FA Community Shield
West Brom were successful twice in the (then) FA Charity Shield, coinciding with their League Championship of 1919-20 and FA Cup win of 1954, when they shared the trophy with League Champions, Wolverhampton Wanderers.

European Competitions

UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup
West Brom reached the quarter-finals of the 1968 (now defunct) UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, losing 1-0 on aggregate to Scottish side Dunfermline.

UEFA Cup
The Baggies also reached the quarter-finals of the 1978-79 UEFA Cup, losing 2-1 on aggregate to subsequent runners-up Red Star Belgrade. They also qualified in the 1979-80 and 1981-82 seasons, but were knocked out in the first round. With no immediate prospects of European qualification, any discussion of betting on West Brom in Europe is surplus to requirements.

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