Classic Match 10th Anniversary: 'The Great Escape'
He won two Premier League titles, three FA Cups and European silverware, played in World Cups and captained England 56 times. Yet for Bryan Robson, May 15, 2005 was one of his proudest days.
Ten years ago today, Robson's Albion defied history and beat the odds to retain their Premier League status on a dramatic final day of the season.
It went down in Baggies folklore as The Great Escape. And the man at the heart of it all still counts it among his greatest achievements.
[breakout title="Where are they now?" align="right"]
Tomasz Kuszczak
The Pole, who was drafted in for the injured Russell Hoult in 2005, is still playing and ended last season with Wolves, from whom he is awaiting a possible contract offer.
Martin Albrechtsen
At 35, the Danish defender was still in action up to the end of this season, which he finished in his homeland with Brondby.
Thomas Gaardsoe
Another Danish defender, Gaardsoe returned through injury and left Albion in 2006, attempted a comeback in Denmark but retired again in 2012 and is now an agent in his homeland.
Neil Clement
The former Chelsea defender was forced to retire through injury, was banned from horseracing for backing against his own horse, and has recently moved back to Britain after a spell living in Dubai.
Paul Robinson
The 36-year-old is still going strong, having just signed a one-year contract extension at Birmingham, where he remains captain under Gary Rowett.
Zoltan Gera
After a second spell at Albion ended in 2014, Gera returned to his native Hungary, where he is playing for the second time for Ferencvaros at the age of 36.
Ronnie Wallwork
Living near Oldham after being sentenced to 15 months in jail in 2011 for selling parts from stolen cars and being ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work last year for stealing a car.
Jonathan Greening
Has returned to his native North Yorkshire, where he is enjoying life with his young family and turning out for non-league Tadcaster Albion alongside younger brother Josh.
Kieran Richardson
After a long stint at Fulham, the former Manchester United youngster is fighting another relegation battle this season after signing for Villa on a free transfer last summer.
Robert Earnshaw
The much-travelled Wales international striker is still playing, having signed for MLS side Vancouver Whitecaps earlier this year following spells in Tel Aviv, Toronto and Chicago.
Kevin Campbell
Since retiring, the former Arsenal and Everton targetman has co-owned a security company that specialises in providing bodyguards for wealthy clients.[/breakout]
"I said at the time that it was one of the best feelings I'd had, and maybe people thought I was getting wrapped up in the emotion straight after the game," said Robson, whose side became the first to survive in the Premier League having been bottom at Christmas. "But it really was one of the best moments I've had.
"I won things with Manchester United, but people expected us to win them.
"With all due respect, no-one expected West Brom to stay in the Premier League."
On the face of it, surviving with just 34 points might not seem especially spectacular.
Yet for Albion, it represented a huge effort in the second half of a season that had looked doomed to more Premier League failure.
Never had a side who propped up the table on Christmas Day managed to survive in the Premier League era and when Albion sat bottom on December 26 with just 10 points from 18 games, the signs did not look promising.
Robson had been appointed in early November, a couple of weeks after Gary Megson's departure.
But the former Baggies midfielder believes two more new arrivals were the key to the turnaround that saw his side amass 24 points from the second half of the season.
"I always felt that the group of lads were honest and hard-working, but the signings we were able to make in January were crucial to us," he said. "Kieran Richardson was brilliant for us and Kevin Campbell was fantastic in the dressing room.
"If those two hadn't come in when they did, things could have been different."
The day itself has gone down in the annals of Baggies history as one of the more dramatic afternoons fans have endured.
Not only were the Baggies bottom on Christmas Day, but they were still bottom heading into their final game.
Yet Robson and Co knew victory over Portsmouth could keep them up if their relegation rivals, Norwich, Southampton and Crystal Palace, all dropped points.
The Baggies' victory was duly delivered with goals from Geoff Horsfield and Richardson, and Robson's men received some bizarre extra support in the form of the travelling Portsmouth fans, who abandoned their own allegiance for the day in the hope of seeing the Saints relegated.
But the real drama would unfold elsewhere.
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With the Baggies winning comfortably, Norwich on the way to a 6-0 defeat at Fulham and Southampton trailing 2-1 at Manchester United, things were looking good for Robson and Co until Andrew Johnson netted a 71st-minute penalty to put Palace 2-1 up at Charlton and plunge Albion back into the drop zone.
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Jonathan Fortune then earned his own place in Hawthorns history by netting the Addicks' equaliser that ultimately kept Albion up.
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"It was nerve-wracking but it was really exciting at the same time," recalled Robson. "It is the kind of day football is all about."
And Robson points to the camaraderie in the dressing room as key to the historic success.
We had a great group of lads," he said. "With all due respect to them, most of them knew that they were limited in terms of Premier League ability because they had played most of their careers in the Championship.
"But because of that, they were even more determined to pull together."
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