Saturday was a strange game, Norwich are the worst team I have seen this season, we never got out of second gear and still could have won 5 or 6 nil, writes Albion blogger Jarrod Hill.
The Smethwick End was on fine form, and loved the company of the baggies banger (the drummer).
Well we were until the stewards (yes the same ones that obviously let him in carrying a drum) took it away.
They then proceeded to tell all fans to sit down or they would be ejected; now anyone at the game will tell you, we were all over Norwich, chance after chance came our way and naturally fans kept rising to their feet.
Now I know the stewards have a job to do, but if the drum was considered a danger why did they let him in with it.
Any way, back to the footy, the win on Saturday and other results going our way has set up a monster clash with Watford.
Early indications suggest if you finish above Watford this season then you have probably been promoted, and Saturday will be a measure of were we are at.
Everybody knows our results away from home have been disappointing, but this is a chance to send out a message to the rest of the league.
If Miller and Phillips can continue their form then Watford’s defence will face their sternest test yet, and rumour has it Miller is prepared to sign for us if we can deliver Premiership football.
His goals and performances have been superb from the word go, and the pair of them look to be revelling in each others game.
At the other end, Cesar has sat alongside Albrechsten at the heart of defence, and looked very strong and assured. He also adds a threat in the opposition box as we witnessed on Saturday when nodding back across goal for Miller to score the first.
So Watford here we come, we have sold all our tickets, the boys are fired up, and all we want know is our drummer back.
All together know, we want our drummer back, we want our drummer back.
Albion fans, what do you think? Have your say below
22 Comments
I said it last week and I repeat that I strongly believe Watford will drop off at some point. I couldn’t get a ticket but this is such abig one I am going anyway. I don’t care if I have to go into the Hornet’s nest to see it!
I fancy our chances against Watford more than I have for any other away match - suspicions which so far have borne true!
Yes, they’re playing some good football at the moment, but against footballing sides I don’t think there’s anyone better than us!
One away win is not good enough, but we are scoring when visiting opponents grounds, and we’re still 3rd!
Obviously the Adie Boothroyd factor has a part to play - but over the 90 minutes we should have enough strength and variation to beat them. (Bednar to snatch the winner…?)
Come on you Baggies!
Good Luck to the lads for Saturday hope we trounce Watford heard the lads had a good game in the reserves McDonald man of the match yet again,as for the drum in the Smethwick end being taken away where on earth were the stewards for the Blackpool match when the sea-siders were allowed there’s in for the match……
The stewards, in the main do a valuable job for the club,
their policing of low profile games saves the club money.
However, by the very nature of wanting to be a steward,
deep down there is an hiden despot
waiting to emerge,
and the confiscation of the drum,
was both childish and dictatorial.
I have “gone on” at considerable length about Watford, within the
Cesar thread,
so i wont bore anyone with my veiws
on this thread.
Has there been any official response from the Club on why the Drum was confiscated ?
On another note - last season I had 2 complimentary tickets for the East Stand on the back row.I was standing up and 5 mins later the steward told me to sit down.I argued that as I was on the back row with a 6ft board behind me did it really matter ? he advised me I would be ejected if I didn’t sit down.
Jobsworth.
Tacking the drum away was stupid why can blackpool fans have a drum and we cant ?????
Spoke to a Palace fan today, he told me that if Watford win this league it will be the worst possible advert for the Championship. They are all strength and power, and took the the two best chances they had, however, entertaining they are not.
The front two caused major problems, particularly King.
But they do allow you to have long periods of possession.
Lets hope Bednar can make the bench for Saturday.
I do really miss standing up at games, the Taylor report introduced many important things to football today, mainly security.
But when people talk about a lack of atmosphere, i beleive it has alot to do with the all seater stadiums.
The most noise to come from the Hawthorns is from the back of the Smethwick, and we all stand up!!!
I totally blame the stewards for worst atmosphere i have ever known in my 35 years of supporting the club.
People are just to frightend to move or open their mouths.Sometimes i feel like i am in a striaght jacket.
I try to get every one else going with some vocal support but as soon as i do stewards eyes are watching.
Bring back the police i say at least they are not as high and bloody mighty inside the ground
’stand up, just to pi** em off’, chant of the season, if we all keep standin they cannot throw all of us out
The twerp from Blackpool with the drum, was a pain. I’m all for chants and singing but just bashing away so the morons have got something to follow? I think it also contributed to a somewhat muted Baggies crowd. As for standing up, why? If everyone remains seated we will all have an excellent view, even at the Hawthorns. Nothing tee’s me off more than some berk constantly standing up blocking my view. Now that is the way that problems can start. I want to see the action as much as they do.
I was at the match on saturday and asked the stewards why they had taken away the brum, they told me that the people around the drummer boy had complained, one guy said he was goin to wrap it around the drummer boys head if it wasnt removed……..so theres your answer
Think something needs to be cleared up here. The reason the drum was taken away by the stewards on Saturday is that they were ASKED to do so by a number of season ticket holders towards the back of the Smethwick. One middle aged bloke was so annoyed with the drumming that he had to be stopped by his son from climbing over the seats and taking it himself. He said that if the stewards didn’t take it he’d go and do it himself – hence the situation would have inflamed even more. This has been coming for a while.
I’d always been a Brummie Roader but once the seats went in the atmosphere died there so the following season I got a season ticket at the back of the Smethwick where to me it’s by far the most vocal and supporting part of the ground. Me and my friends have been there ever since. Also getting one at the back meant that you can stand up when wanted in general. Obviously there’s times when the stewards ask you to sit down. But they’re generally fair and ask you to do it for a bit due to the licensing restrictions and then let you get back up and get the atmosphere going again.
A lot of us have commented for a while that the drum has a detrimental effect on the singing in the area. It definitely had a negative effect on the atmosphere towards the end of last season. It’s often just an incessant banging with no tune and it actually stops people chanting and starting up songs. The amount of folk who shout for the drummer to shut up (in language not suitable for a daily newspaper) every game is really high. It aint that popular amongst a group who are some of the most supportive singers in the ground. Other people around the stand seemed to get riled with the stewards when they saw the drum being taken away when they didn’t know the facts of what happened. And how annoying it is to those nearby who just want to sing as they’ve done for years without the need for some out of tune banging dampening down the atmosphere. Correct me if I’m wrong but once the drum had gone the atmosphere improved loads in the Smethwick. All around us we were chanting “We’ve got our singing back” and that says it all.
On to Saturday I’m looking forward to Vicarage Road although Watford will cause us a lot of problems with their direct approach and their amount of physical players. I’m hoping that the fact we’re underdogs for once will focus the players minds on the job in hand for 90 minutes and stop the mistakes that have been happening. Come on you Baggie Boys. Get behind em!
The next home match is Shefield Wednesday I take it from the actions of the jobsworth stewards against Norwich that they will stop the owls brass band from playing next Tuesday ?
We need to be entertained put the drummer at the front of the Smethwich and let him compete
against the Wednesday brass banders
to improve noise levels and the atmosphere at the quiet end of the Hawthorns !!!!!
I have it on very good authority that the drum actually belongs to the Albion themselves. So not only have they allowed it to be carried into the stand and allowed it to be played in previous games they also brought the thing in the first place.
At the end of the day the back of the Smethwick end is really the only place that generates noise and creates an atmosphere for the majority of the game. So if you don’t want the noise and the fuss go and sit (rather than stand) elsewhere, you’ve got another three stands to choose from.
Perhaps I should complain about the stewards annoying me while I’m trying to enjoy the match I’ve spent my hard earned cash on, in the hope they might go and join the drum wherever they have decided to hide it.
If the drum is to be at the games it should go to an area where there is already little or no singing like the Brummie. Not an area like the back of the Smethwick which has widely been seen as the most vocal for seasons. All the drum does there is stop the spontaneity and actually dampens down the atmosphere and riles people. There’s never been an issue with our support up there!
The dood with drum is picking it up before the wolves game. Was talking to him in hawthorns after game.
Stewards are muppets.
How can anyone say the drum dampens down singing. I sit by it and the noise it generates especially on corners etc is a lot better than without. The noise levels went down in the latter part of the match on Saturday after all the hype of the removal had past. That proved the drum is an asset to us.
I was recently speaking to Frank Skinner about the atmosphere at The Hawthorns and even he agreed it was a great idea, as do the club who i believe supplied it. Get the drum back and get behind the lads.
The level of support for it has proved its popularity.
And most of all, Taff loves it ha ha.
whynot rotate the drummer around the four stands, why? should smethwick have all the fun,he might need a few lessons but at least he is trying to generate more atmosphere,we could all become the twelveth man of the team or hasnt anyone noticed that when crowd lift the tempo so do the players.we need more crowd involvement in the mundane games not just the higher profile ones …
keep the drum best thing to happen at the albion for a long time atmosphere great. are these stewards albion fans or are they just picking up money on a saturday,come on albion sort them out.
Thats not a bad idea. He’s good in our stands so why not send him on loan for a half in the BRE.
I think there will be a few songs at Watford like the one suggested by Jarrod.
Come on you Baggies!!
Oh and if your song about getting your singing back was sung on saturday… i didnt hear it!! Couldn’t have been too loud. I heard the drum before it was wrongly taken away though.