Birmingham Mail

It's quite apt Albion should be playing the team known as Red Star Belgrade this week of all weeks as they evoke memories of their 1979 Uefa Cup run, which ended with a quarter-final defeat against the Serbian giants.

This Tuesday marked the 18th anniversary of Laurie Cunningham's tragic death, the Albion genius who made his career on the back of that famous European adventure 10 years earlier, notably against Valencia in the previous round. That performance earned him a move to Real Madrid in the summer of 1979.

Tony Mowbray's men will take on the Serbs tomorrow (now known as Crvena Zvezda, which actually means 'Red Star' anyway - so why the name change?) at the 5,400-capacity Fazanerija stadium in Murska Sobota, home to Mura 05.

That game in '79 also saw arguably the greatest-ever Big Ronism.

Albion were knocked out after conceding a controversial last minute equaliser at the Hawthorns following a 1-0 loss in Belgrade.

Mr Atkinson was not happy.

"I never comment on referees and I'm not about to break the habit for that idiot (for want of a better word)".

Quite.

Finally, a member of the press corps in Slovenia is nursing a rather white handprint on the left shoulder after taking off his shirt to catch some rays as temperatures reached a frightening 39 degrees celsius during this morning's training session. The hapless journalist brushed his hand, which was covered in Factor 35 intended to cover his forehead, against his shoulder to swat away a rather excitable fly.

Tomorrow, I intend to keep my shirt on at all times.