Back in 2002, following Jeff Astle's death, Albion announced plans to honour the club's very own King by building gates in his honour, which now stand by the entrance to the East Stand car park.
The Birmingham Mail proposed at the time that the club should rename each one of the four stands after club legends.
We suggested Tony Brown, Ronnie Allen, WG Richardson and Astle were the appropriate heroes. At the very least we called for the fans to be given a chance to vote for their chosen hero.
Albion's then regime liked but, ultimately, rejected the idea, offering the counter argument that the stands were an ideal hook for potential advertisers and could, as a result, generate revenue.
Six years on and there are renewed calls for 'Bomber' Brown - Mr West Bromwich Albion - to be honoured, as underlined by the overwhelming reaction from supporters to our very own Albion Legends supplement last week.
Albion fan Paul Hayward has now gone one better by putting pen to paper in honour of Albion's greatest ever goalscorer and record appearance holder.
Paul has kindly given the Birmingham Mail permission to reproduce his dedication to Bomber.
And we reckon it'll strike a chord with Albion fans everywhere, including the Legend himself.
Bobby Moore stands foot on ball at the head of Wembley way,
And Sir Matt surveys Old Trafford on a wet Manchester day,
A statue too for Shankly who’s been honoured by the Reds,
The greatest men remembered as football thoroughbreds.
There’s a sculpture too of Matthews, a legend up at Stoke,
A player who was knighted, just an ordinary bloke,
Even Wolverhampton’s got one; the great “Sir” Billy Wright,
He played for England many times (and a club that we don't like)
Have Albion got a player to match these football greats?
To deserve a Hawthorns’ statue standing by the Astle Gates,
Did we ever have a player, who for twenty years or more
Broke all appearance records, and never failed to score,
Who Baggies fans are proud to say “he played for us you know;
And I saw him play in blue and white all those years ago”
Yes we have an Albion player who surpassed the very best,
Topped the scoring charts one season beating Charlton, Law and Best,
And all this from midfield, not a striker out and out,
The greatest Albion goal scorer of that there is no doubt.
Who never left this club of ours when relegation came,
And continued his explosive goals as ever just the same,
Rarely missed a penalty, his blasts would burst the net,
The ball he hit at Hillsborough ain’t stopped rolling yet!
We have an Albion player, who won the FA cup,
And scored the all important goal to take the Albion up,
Then made his name all over again in Big Ron’s brilliant team,
Netting his reputation as our greatest goal machine.
Scored 2 against Valencia in a European match,
With a 70s perm and flailing tongue beneath his thick moustache,
The defining image of an Albion great, at the height of his success,
Let’s mount that image for all to see on a plinth of bronze no less.
His stats say 574 games and 218 goals scored,
Those stats deserve an honour, a lifelong club award,
For even now he’s scoring goals at every Albion game,
From the commentary (not the penalty) box, perhaps it’s not the same,
But it shows his love and support for the club after over forty years,
He’s lived and breathed the Albion, the good times and the tears,
What a journey it’s been since 62 - his debut at Ipswich Town,
Now it’s time we honoured our greatest player – Tony Bomber Brown.
With thanks to Paul.
Over to you now Albion. We tried six years ago - how about now?
Comments (11)
Fantastic Paul
Absolute genius
Posted by J Lord | January 21, 2008 11:42 PM
Posted on January 21, 2008 23:42
Make the east stand the Bomber Stand and rename the brummy the Astle Stand.
Great poem by paul.
Posted by Baggie Dave | January 21, 2008 11:43 PM
Posted on January 21, 2008 23:43
Good to see the Evening Mail back on the clubs case. I remember the first time we called for the stands to be renamed and i hope this time the club take some notice
Posted by Garry Baker | January 21, 2008 11:45 PM
Posted on January 21, 2008 23:45
Lets hope the club starting takeing notice. jeff deserved better than a gate and bomber certainly deserves a statue
Posted by pete | January 22, 2008 12:05 AM
Posted on January 22, 2008 00:05
A great read. Whatever you do for a living Paul I'd give it up and get some books published.
BOMBER is the greatest ever!
Posted by D Brown (no relation!) | January 22, 2008 7:26 AM
Posted on January 22, 2008 07:26
a great poem and a fitting tribute to the greatest ever baggies player
Posted by Jason Hobbs | January 22, 2008 10:35 AM
Posted on January 22, 2008 10:35
Brilliant player, brilliant poem.
Statue, please!
Posted by Rich | January 22, 2008 7:51 PM
Posted on January 22, 2008 19:51
I agree. We dont want a stand for bomber *give him a statue which is what he deserves.
Posted by Carl | January 23, 2008 7:58 AM
Posted on January 23, 2008 07:58
A statue for a legend PLEASE
And while you're all add it check out the campaign on Facebook. shame the Birmingham Mail didn't get him recognised all those years ago - time for all of us to try again.
Posted by Bomber | January 26, 2008 7:19 AM
Posted on January 26, 2008 07:19
I know this person and i didn't know he had it in him!!
It is fab Paul...autograph please??
Posted by Ellie | January 26, 2008 10:12 PM
Posted on January 26, 2008 22:12
At Trent Bridge cricket ground there is a "Gary Sobers Waiting Area".
Posted by Notty Slack | January 30, 2008 12:26 PM
Posted on January 30, 2008 12:26