13-08-2021, 12:41
After commencing the season with a decent battling draw on the road against a threatening Bournemouth side, Albion have the opportunity to get into the thick of the promotion race this coming week as they play host to Luton and Sheffield United. But more importantly, Saturday's fixture will be the first time since the FA Cup tie against Newcastle on 3rd March 2020 that fans have been able to fill the Hawthorns and cheer the side on. It's been a long eighteen months, and far from a happy one, but hopefully with a whole year's boinging bottled up, the stands will be rocking for these games.
Luton, having dodged relegation two seasons ago and achieved mid-table respectability last year, have started this campaign well with a 3-0 win against newly-promoted Peterborough last weekend. Alongside Championship veterans like Cameron Jerome and Henri Lansbury, they've added ex-Walsall youngster Elijah Adebayo and Zimbabwean forward Admiral Muskwe (who can be easily identified onfield by his distinctive eyepatch and peg-leg). Nevertheless, it's a match that Albion have to look to win if the top six is our goal this season. Sheffield United on Wednesday evening will inevitably be a tougher nut to crack, but having already slipped to a 1-0 home defeat against Blues in their opener, it could be that the Championship is more of a shock to their system after an extra year away.
Finally, following his departure as a player in 2020, his retirement three months ago and his return as an academy coach, Chris Brunt will be a guest of honour in the Luton match, taking to the pitch at half-time to show his appreciation to the fans and get a deserved round of applause in turn. Let's make it one to remember.