[Salopbaggie]

Next Wednesday sees the 50th anniversary of my first home game 30 Aug 1967, could it have been better than a 4-1 win over the Dingles? (as I write that I can see the "yes, a 5-0 win over the Dingles ), the rest is history. Many trials and tribulations, ups and downs, over the years, sadly more downs than up's, but that is all part of being a Baggie and we would not be happy if we did not have something to moan about, but we would not moan if we did not care.

What was your first game at the shrine?

Just went and had a look at the stats for that game, I don't remember that well as I was only 7, this may surprise a few of our younger contributors, the gate that day at the Hawthorns was 44,573 Arr when I was a lad

[4evaabaggie]

I was born to none sporting parents, my father was a railway man, hard to believe but I did not know about football until I was about six, born in Somerset but living in reading by then. My parents had divorced and my mother remarried a Baggies fan, my first game was aged about 7 around 1973, an away game at the manor ground, Oxford 1-1 Albion.
In 76 we moved to Cradley Heath ....... so first visit to the shrine would have been around then, money was tight and the details are sketchy.

[Beefy 1965]

Last season
I'm only 12

[4evaabaggie]

Beefy, your only 12 ........ decades.that is. How was Vicky as queen.

[Bierzo Baggie]

Started going to reserve games with my granddad but the first “proper” match was against Arsenal at the end of the 76-77 season.

I was 7 years old, Albion lost 2-0 and the team that day was Osbourne-Paddy Mulligan-Statham- Wile-Mick Martin-Giles-Robson-Cunningham-Willie Johnston-Cunningham-David Cross..
Big Ron got the credit but it was Johnny Giles who built the foundations of that great team in the late 70s.

Don’t remember much about the game. The first one I have real memories of was a 3-1 win over Stoke. It was Giles’s last game at the Hawthorns and we all went on the pitch at the end.

Then I remember being taken to an open day at the ground where all the players were signing autographs. Met a colossus called Cyrille who nobody knew because he’d only just signed for the club but who later became quite famous

There was no turning back after that…

[Worldclassalbion]

1971 against Everton, Baggies won 2-0............I was only 4 so I don't remember it very much apart from all the people and the noise. my Dad still has all the programmes from the first games he took us kids to.

He's 82 now but his passion for The Albion is as intense as ever.........I love my Old Man, he's a class act.

[St Charles Owl]

My first game that I remember was in 1976, a 2-1 home win against Southend on the last day of the season that saw us avoid the drop into Div 4 by the skin of our teeth!!!! I had been to a few games before then, with the first being in 1974 but don't remember who we played.

My first trip to The Hawthorns was in September 1984, our first season in the top flight since I started watching Wednesday. We had a good start to that season and were sitting in 4th place after 5 games. We came away with a 2-2 draw, with Gary Shelton and Imre Varadi getting our goals. Don't remember a ton about the day, that season for me was full of firsts and having waited so long to get back to the top flight it was all a bit of a blur aside from a few totally memorable events such as winning at Anfield and Old Trafford and of course the first home game with a 3-1 win over Forest.

[silverbaggie]

My first game at the shrine was in January 1960 when a mate convinced me that instead of following the Blues I should have a look at what the Baggies had to offer.

It was 3rd Round FA Cup day and the opponents at the Hawthorns were Plymouth Argyle who were in Division 3 South in those days.
We scored 3 goals (I think the Tank got a hat trick) but, I got a first taste of how the Albion make life difficult for themselves; Argyle scored twice and we scraped through.
Beating Bolton in Round 4 before losing at Filbert Street to second division Leicester in the 5th Round.

So 57 years later I have just about learnt to cope with the many disappointments meted out by the Mighty Baggies.

[BaggieSteve]

August 1962 v Burnley. We lost 1-2 so it's good I didn't get my expectations raised at the age of 7. As I recall, Keith Smith scored our goal. First win was later that season, 6-1 v Fulham. I think it was Smith 4 and the Tank 2

[Stairs]

FA Cup v Coventry. Must have been 64/65 - the guy taking me was a Sky Blue and was not amused when I wanted an Albion Rosette. The dye was cast, I've been in love ever since despite everything.