in trying to figure out a reasonable long-term aspiration for the baggies, i turned back time and analyzed the team's two spells spent in the old 1st division, and comprising a total of 33 years, following the second world war and ending with relegation in the 1985-86 season. this was followed by what was without doubt the worst period in the club's history, and saw the albion have to embark on a long restructuring of the organization, due to a loss of support, that to this day has not been fully realized.during both periods (one of 23 years and another of 10), in which the team showed remarkably similar trajectories, the average league finish in the final tables is that of a 9th place ranking. one of the ironies is that in all this time, it is a position that they very infrequently finished in. instead, the pattern of albion teams has always been to have mid to low table finishes in the league, and to win the odd FA Cup. the team then invariably hits a zenith that produces a series of top five finisihes that brings their average up considerably. indeed, 3 consecutive top five finishes at the end of the 1950s was definitley one of the real high points for a team that variously included the likes of ronnie allen, ray barlow, joe kennedy, frank griffiths and bobby robson.
in the 1960s, the baggies were a solid mid-table team who quite extraordinarily appeared in 4 cup finals in 5 years, winning an FA Cup and league cup, as well as losing two league cup finals in the process. when the team of astle, clark, williams and osbourne was disbanded, their time was up and the baggies went down for a three year stay in the 2nd division.
unlike today - and at the end of 1975-76, west bromwich albion - now led by player/manager johnny giles - returned to the top tier of english football with a team that was good enough to achieve a 7th place finish right off the bat in their initial season back in the top flight. alas, this is no longer possible with huge gaps in the levels of money between the top 5-10 clubs, the mid to lower table sides, the premier league relegation strugglers, west bromwich albion and the championship league. there are 4 or 5 distinct levels of footbal where the ideal is to have but 2.
to end their place in this cycle, the baggies need to aim for a solid 13th place finish. in fact, they should look at 13th place in the table and target it as rightfully theirs, in the same fashion that top 4 teams do. they might even consider making it their 4 year consolidation plan! a 17th place finish to start, and move up one place in the standings four years running!
if the current baggies sqaud can manage the form of yesteryear when 10th to 17th place finsishes were what was about expected, coupled with the odd cup run, they might one day find themselves in position to challenge for a place in europe. if there is a positive future for west brom in the premier league, it will have to be a scenario similar to this or none at all.
on the eve of the fifth campaign that west bromwich albion embark on in the holy grail of english football against a chelsea team that won the double last year, i can't really hope for anything more than not to get beaten too badly. but then again, as an albion supporter, one always hopes for that odd chance... an inexplicable convergence of energies and intanglibles where the highly improbable becomes manifest. anyway, reading, wigan, hull city and burnley have shown us in the last few seasons that if you're going catch one of the top teams out and take all three points, you're more likely to do it early on in the season and before anyone's hit their stride.
here's to the investment of hope in a seemingly impossible season and west brom's rightful 13th place finish ahead of wolves, wigan, blackburn, bolton, west ham, newcastle and blackpool!
let us hope for some small measure of joy and success from this season now upon us.
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