West Bromwich Albion Personalised Gifts
Our West Bromwich Gifts are unofficial products, and are in no way affiliated with West Bromwich FC, unless specifically stated in the product information.
West Bromwich Memorabilia and Gift Ideas
GoneDigging has a fabulous range of personalised West Bromwich Albion merchandise, including unique memorabilia and great gift ideas. Below you will find a selection of our most popular West Brom gifts, in addition to a few interesting facts about the Baggies.
Brief History of West Bromwich Albion FC
West Bromwich Albion FC was formed by workers of Salter’s Spring Works in 1878. The club turned professional in 1885 and reached the FA Cup final three seasons in a row. It was a case of ‘third time lucky’ for the Baggies, as they finally won the trophy at their third attempt in 1888. West Brom’s second FA Cup success came in 1892 and the team won the First Division title in 1920. Although the Baggies enjoyed many top flight league seasons during this period, the team was inconsistent and tended to alternate between the top two divisions. West Bromwich Albion won their third FA Cup in 1931, which coincided with promotion to the First Division. This was a very rare ‘double’ that had not previously been achieved.
Jack Smith led West Bromwich Albion to another promotion in 1949, but this time the club found stability. Subsequent managers developed the team into a strong, attractive side and the Baggies remained in the top flight for an unbroken spell of twenty-four years. During this era, West Brom won two further FA Cups and the League Cup. The club was particularly successful in the 1950s, with players including Sir Bobby Robson, Don Howe and Derek Kevan. West Bromwich Albion consistently finished in the top five of the league and the Baggies were referred to as the “Team of the Century" by pundits and journalists. Although a decline followed, West Brom made a comeback in the late 1970s under Ron Atkinson. The Baggies dominated the league in 1979, but they slipped to a third place finish due to a pile up of fixtures, including a run to the quarter-final of the UEFA Cup. The club fell down to lower leagues, but West Bromwich Albion bounced back up again, reaching the Premiership for the first time in 2002.
Did you know…
West Bromwich Albion was originally nicknamed “The Throstles", as this these birds were often seen in Hawthorn bushes around the ground. A local pub also kept a pet Throstle in a cage and this was placed beside the touchline during games in the 1930s. Folklore suggests the bird only sang when the team was winning.
This nickname was subsequently changed to “The Baggies", but the origin of this name is still debated. Some claim it arose as the team wore baggy shorts, whilst others believe it refers to the gatekeepers who used to carry match-day takings in big leather bags along the side of the pitch to the cash office. Supporters used to cry “Here come the Bag Men!" which developed into “Here come the Baggies!" The final theory is that fans of rival Aston Villa bestowed the nickname onto the side, as West Brom fans wore large, baggy trousers to protect them from molten iron in the factories.
West Bromwich Albion FC has played at the Hawthorns Stadium since 1900. The ground was given this name due to a large volume of Hawthorn bushes in the area, many of which had to be cleared away during the development of the venue. The stadium has a capacity of just over 28,000 spectators and it sits 551ft (168m) above sea level – the highest of all English league grounds.
West Bromwich Albion Memorabilia
We offer an exciting range of personalised West Bromwich gifts, which includes various items of West Brom memorabilia. These presents can be kept for years to come and they are a terrific idea for fans of the Baggies.
Our Personalised West Bromwich Albion Football Book incorporates a variety of match reports from over one hundred years. Written by journalists who were there at the time, this reproduced newspaper coverage forms a fascinating record of some of the biggest games in the club’s history.
The Football Book stretches back to the 1907 FA Cup. It goes on to include many of the club’s major trophy wins - including the First Division title of 1920 and domestic cup victories - plus matches that clinched promotion and play-off final triumphs. Other featured Cup highlights include the 3-1 win against Arsenal in the 1937 FA Cup quarter-final, the 4-0 aggregate win against Birmingham City in the 1968 FA Cup semi-final and the fantastic 3-2 victory against Manchester United in the 1978 FA Cup fourth-round replay. Our collection of classic league games feature high-scoring thrillers, such as the 7-0 thrashing of Arsenal in 1922, the 9-2 victory against Manchester City in 1957, the 5-3 win against Manchester United in 1978 and the 7-0 trouncing of Barnsley in 2007. The West Bromwich Albion Book also includes articles on the appointments of managers, including Alan Ashman in 1968 and Bryan Robson in 2004.
Twelve of the best match reports are featured in our Personalised West Bromwich Albion Diary and Personalised West Bromwich Albion Calendar. Highlights include the 1931 FA Cup win and the Championship triumph of 2008. We also incorporate the 6-1 mauling of Coventry City in 1965, the 1-1 draw with Liverpool in 1968 and the 4-0 victory over Dynamo Bucharest in 1968. Both gifts can start from the month of your choice and they are a fantastic way to keep track of future events, whilst reminiscing upon former glory days.
If you would like to commemorate the current season, why not sign up to My West Bromwich Football Year? This service allows you to create a customised season book, with the option of editing match reports, statistics and photographs from every West Brom game. At the end of the season you will receive your professionally printed and bound book, with up to two hundred pictures included.
More Gift Ideas
Our Personalised West Bromwich Albion Commentaries make unusual and entertaining presents for fans of the Baggies. A professional radio commentator will record an original commentary, based upon your choice of match highlights. Your recipient could then become the hero of the Hawthorns by saving a crucial penalty, providing a great assist or scoring a stunning last-minute goal. In doing so, they could also be nominated as Man of the Match.
Another fun gift idea is a Spoof Newspaper Headline. Recipients can become a Babe Football Magnet Star or the New England Manager. Alternatively, they could score a hat-trick for West Bromwich Albion in the FA Cup Final.