[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

An exciting time in the news: Rowntree's have invented the Polo mint, Mr Attlee has just created British Rail and the NHS, and bread rationing is finally at an end. At least, I presume that's the news; as Albion are travelling to Chesterfield this weekend, either the year is 1948, or a first-ever FA Cup encounter between the two sides is about to renew an acquaintance that's lain fallow for seventy-five years.

Having seen off Anstey Nomads, Northampton and Wimbledon to reach the third round for the second season in a row, the Spireites will be hoping for a better outcome than last year's 5-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge. On paper at least, Albion are a more achievable target for a cupset, especially on home soil; Chesterfield's record at the Technique Stadium is pretty solid, a pre-Christmas FA Trophy defeat to Coalville notwithstanding. And indeed, had this match been played three months ago the Baggies would have been ripe for a good Wokinging, but things have changed for the better under Corberan, and so the only Achilles heel for us now is the perpetually cavalier attitude to the FA Cup which has seen us crash out at the first hurdle the last two years running.

Armando Dobra has opened the scoring for Chesterfield in each of their cup games so far, and he'll be one to watch on Saturday. For Albion, much will depend on the team we put out - understandably, the playoffs are our major concern - but it would be very disappointing not to get the win. For one thing, the last time that Chesterfield beat us, Hitler invaded Czechoslovakia three weeks later. The last thing we need is Mr Putin getting more bright ideas in 2023, so here's hoping the Spireites will let us have our cup run for the sake of world peace...

[Stairs]

Excellent. If Putin starts to up his activity we can put the blame totally at the feet of our crooked owners.

[Blue Baggie]

Are we going to have a go or just give the fringe players a game.
I do wish we would treat the FAC as something worth winning.
It was in 1968

[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

I largely agree, but we do also have to be realistic about the fact that no non-top-flight team has won the Cup in over forty years, and no Championship side has even reached the final since Cardiff in 2008 (the one year we really did have a chance). Winning this season wouldn't quite require Leicester 2015-16 levels of fairytale magic, but it wouldn't be far off; the stars would have to align pretty favourably, and we'd still have to beat one or two full-strength elite teams along the way in all probability. It's just an astronomical unlikelihood in this day and age.

Realistically, if we give it our all then it'll be in the hope of a run to the quarter-final or thereabouts, and we'll probably be trading some league form for the fun and romance of it. I'd be happy to see us do that, and if the dice fell as they did in 2008 then we'd be in a good position to take advantage, but that possibility is 99% wishful thinking, and we can't kid ourselves otherwise.

[Zinman]

Nice of us to level things up by opting not to select a goalkeeper.

[4evaabaggie]

2008 Get another season Albion were robbed by poor officiating and biased to the top flight teams, Baros had already been booked for handball he handball it again, having controlled it with his hand it led to a save before Kanu tapped in the rebound, We were the better side but could not equalise.

It should have been the second time in history that a club won the FA cup and promotion to the top flight in the same season. The only time it's been done, 1931, I believe that's right Ska, by a little heard of club, West Bromwich Albion. It should have been ours.

So many times we've nearly won the cup since the 70's only to fail at the semi-finals. How I would love to see Albion lift the cup .....

CoyB

[Baggiebob(BBB)]

Weren't Southampton a 2nd teir cup when they won it? I do remember I was on a plane at the time they did.

[Baggievicar]

Weren't Southampton a 2nd teir cup when they won it? I do remember I was on a plane at the time they did.

Yes, they were (1976, and I still think Bobby Stokes was offside) but they didn't get promoted.

[Minizin]

How long since we last conceded? Not that it’s all Button’s fault, but he was in the net for the first goal and parried the third straight back into the box

[Baggie_One]

That was entertaining