Iwan Roberts recalls a derby shock

Former Wolves striker Iwan Roberts knows about derby shocks - and has warned Sunday's debutants to expect the ride of their life.

In 1996, the striker rocked the Hawthorns by bagging a hat-trick as Wolves routed Albion 4-2 on his explosive Black Country bow.

His one season at Molineux in 1996-97 saw him score four goals in two games against the Baggies, to help him understand the intensity which will grip the Hawthorns on Sunday.

A derby veteran with Huddersfield, Leicester and Norwich - he played in seven 'Old Farm' games against Ipswich - Roberts knows more about club rivalry than most.

But 72 hours before Sunday's noon face-off only James Morrison, Chris Brunt and Ishmael Miller have played under the Black Country derby glare in Albion colours.

Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, Wayne Hennessey, Kevin Foley, George Elokobi, Matt Jarvis and Stephen Ward all have derby previous against the old foe for Wolves, with the crocked Karl Henry and Jody Craddock missing out this time.

It leaves plenty of derby debutants for both sides and with a Premier League backdrop in mind, Roberts reckons the new-boys face a baptism of fire.

The 42-year-old said: "Some of them will be in for a shock.

"Albion have got a few foreigners in the team and many won't have played in a game as big as this. Wolves have got a some foreigners but a nucleus of British lads and Mick McCarthy will have given them a taste of what it's like.

"But the derby has changed, it's different if you have players from overseas now.

"If you look at the Black Country derby, the East Anglian derby, Merseyside derby or the Manchester one the British players know what it's about but the foreign players may not. It's an important game for both sides and they should know that.

"It was a massive win for Wolves against Birmingham and to put back-to-back wins against their local rivals together just before Christmas will give the club a real lift."

Victory could move Wolves out of the relegation zone, but the early kick-off will do little to dampen the tension.

Three points won't make or break either team's season but pride is on the line and, at the Hawthorns on 15 September 1996, Roberts ensured the bragging rights went to Wolves.

His treble, along with Steve Bull's goal, sent Albion packing and the striker insisted, back then, players knew exactly what to expect.

Roberts said: "Lining up in the tunnel I just remember the noise. It was a cauldron of sound. Both sets of supporters were making so much - it was a derby.

"At the Hawthorns we had 6,000 fans and we gave them something to sing about. It's hostile place to go and you got dog's abuse from the Albion fans.

"We knew it was a big game, we'd gone into the week leading up to it and worked harder because it was a bigger game than normal. We knew what it meant.

"You'd talk to the fans and as long as we beat Albion twice they didn't care about the rest of the season.

"We could have been relegated but as long as we beat Albion they were happy.

That season Wolves did the double over their rivals.

First, Roberts bagged that treble at The Hawthorns before scoring again in the reverse fixture - a 2-0 Molineux win in January 1997.

But it is his hat-trick, the first for Wolves since Terry Wharton inspired them to a 7-0 thrashing at Molineux in March 1963, which stands out.

And 14 years later Roberts, who moved to Norwich for £1million in June 1997 a year after signing from Leicester for £1.3million, is constantly reminded about that day.

He said: "I'm on Twitter and I still get people on there talking about it. After the game people were coming up to me and saying 'you don't know what you've done.'

"The first two were identical headers from Steve Froggatt corners. You would have thought Albion would have learned their lesson.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm glad they didn't - but I didn't expect to have two like that.