[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

Dick Sheppard keeps Leicester at bay as Albion come from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at Filbert Street, 23rd March 1968

A nervy but worthy - and above all, enjoyable - win on Saturday has given us a timely boost after a very difficult six weeks in Albionland. We'll be heading into the springtime effectively safe from relegation, needing just another win and a couple of draws to see us over the line. Of course, Leicester have already long since achieved that objective, and are hunting for points for a very different reason; one which would have seemed ludicrous this time last year. It's been suggested that the lack of pressure on Leicester is the very reason they've been able to become such pacesetters in the title race while the likes of City and Arsenal have fallen away; however, coming into these final few months, with the dream seeming ever more possible, there will be an increasing weight of expectation on the Foxes to grind out wins in matches like this. Against a poor Norwich side on Saturday, it took eight-nine minutes to find the necessary breakthrough: can Albion prove an even more frustrating obstacle?

For me, the fixture between the sides in October demonstrated that there's not an immense gulf in quality between the two teams, in a match Albion were ultimately unlucky to lose. Approach this as a winnable game, and with a little luck, we may get our reward this time.

[Beefy 1965]

I agree Skad
They were damn lucky against Norwich on Saturday so maybe nerves are starting to kick in ?
You no what hope we have a lucky 1-0 win with either a offside goal or a penalty that wasn't,
That way it will go someway of evening itself out for the 3 blatant penalties that were not given to us when we played Leicester earlier, not to mention the 2nd goal of theirs being offside.
How would Mr Walker's crisps explain that ?
And why we are at it how did a scrappy 1-0 win over Norwich get put on 1st on MOD I wonder

[BaggieMan]

Aries, is the Baggie player in centre of pic John Talbot ?  You are a whiz on these old photographs.

[tidy]

I agree Skad
They were damn lucky against Norwich on Saturday so maybe nerves are starting to kick in ?
You no what hope we have a lucky 1-0 win with either a offside goal or a penalty that wasn't,
That way it will go someway of evening itself out for the 3 blatant penalties that were not given to us when we played Leicester earlier, not to mention the 2nd goal of theirs being offside.
How would Mr Walker's crisps explain that ?
And why we are at it how did a scrappy 1-0 win over Norwich get put on 1st on MOD I wonder  

I have to agree. Made me shout at the TV.

A rubbish Lesta V Norwich where NOTHING happened until an 89th min goal, on 1st on MOTD.....

[talkSAFT]

Aries, is the Baggie player in centre of pic John Talbot ?  You are a whiz on these old photographs.

Yeh - that's Talbot.
I was there that day: the Albion fans were all on the side shown in the photo. I can remember feeling pretty peed off at 1/2 time at 0-2, and some of us stayed in the Bar till we heard the roar when it went 2-1.

[silverbaggie]

Aries, is the Baggie player in centre of pic John Talbot ?  You are a whiz on these old photographs.

Yes Talbot was playing that day; I looked it up in my copy of Matthews.
The goal scorers were Clive Clark (2) and Astle.

But here's a puzzle for the other Ancients on here to answer.

Playing on the right wing that day was a player listed as R Rees. I don't remember him.

He played just 10 matches for us that season covering both wing positions. He scored 3 goals in total; his last goal coming in our 6-3 rout of Man Utd at home. (We regularly stuffed 'em in those days)

The following season he made 24 appearances (six goals) and then disappears off the team sheets
His final game being against Southampton on the 18 January 1969.

I often went to matches in those days especially against the 'Red Devils' but, for the life of me I don't remember this player.

Any supporter from this era with a better memory than mine?

[aries22]

Yes, Baggieman, John Talbut, and to the right of him Doug Fraser, and on the far right Bobby Hope. Ronnie Rees was that other winger.
That game was the day after my 14th birthday. Don't think I was there, but maybe Ska'd can correct me!

[Tibby Baggie]

With the win on Saturday there's very little pressure on us now as we must be safe after taking what was a massive 3 points.

Got to say I'd love for us to throw a spanner into the works of Leicester's title challenge with this game; all of this talk from some pundits and media of how everyone would love Leicester to win it is so far off the mark.

Obviously our players played their part in the capitulation on Astle Day, yet to snatch the points in this game to go some way towards denying Leicester the title would be sweet revenge. Anyone else with me on that?

[Baggievicar]

No, I'd love Leicester to win the league - anyone but the normal 2 or 3, for me.

[drewks]

No, I'd love Leicester to win the league - anyone but the normal 2 or 3, for me.

Same here. 
IMHO it would be the best thing that's happened in domestic football since........well, since nothing! Talk about upsetting the odds, and the big boys, and the BIG MONEY!!


In fact, if there was some way of ensuring that Leicester won the title IF we lost on Saturday (Aaagghh - no. - tomorrow), then I'd agree to losing (if we were also guaranteed to be safe, of course.) Any chance of a deal there, friends in high places and all that, BV?