Remembering Igor Balis' West Brom penalty which kick-started life in the Premier League

Those were the commentator's words as delirium in the away end spilled over onto the Valley Parade pitch. The simple answer is no, writes Matt Wilson.

It is 15 years to the day since Igor Balis kept his head when all around him were losing theirs and calmly stepped up to that injury-time spot-kick at Bradford City.

It didn't quite guarantee promotion to the Premier League for the first time, that would have to wait until a 2-0 home win over Crystal Palace seven days later, but for so many reasons it is the defining moment of that historical campaign.

Balis was only promoted to penalty duties because the Baggies had missed eight of their 11 spot-kicks that season. Bob Taylor, Derek McInnes, Scott Dobie, Neil Clement and Jason Roberts had all wasted chances. The Slovakian full-back nailed one in an League Cup shoot-out against Cambridge United earlier in the season, although it went unnoticed.

"We didn't know Igor could take penalties," said Gary Megson after the Bradford game. "He decided to tell us after nine months."

By the end of the season, Balis was next in line, and it meant he would go down as a cult hero. It was the first minute of injury time in the penultimate match of a 46-game season and neither team had scored.

McInnes lifted the ball into Taylor, who cut back inside and was upended in front of a packed away end. As the commentator says: "The team who miss penalties for fun now have one of the most vital in their history."

After a simple, short, straight run-up, Balis stroked it into the corner. Cue pandemonium.

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The fans were on the pitch in their wigs, and Megson – aware there was still time to play – didn't quite know what to do with himself on the touchline.

The scoreline was also poignant. 'One-nil to the Albion' was the big hit in the terraces that season, and this was the 17th win of that particular nature .

But it was this victory over Bradford that effectively clinched promotion and completed a phenomenal turnaround in the Black Country battle.

At one point Wolves were 11 points clear of Albion but the gold and black only mustered up two wins in their last nine games.

Megson's Baggies finished the season with eight wins and two draws from their last 10.

Albion may have been relegated the next year, but that penalty kick-started the gradual process towards Premier League stability.