The Black Country derby is the
local derby
Local may refer to:
Geography and transportation
* Local (train), a train serving local traffic demand
* Local, Missouri, a community in the United States
* Local government, a form of public administration, usually the lowest tier of administrat ...
between
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
teams
West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion Football Club () is an English professional football club based in West Bromwich, West Midlands, England. They compete in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football. The club was formed in 1878 and has pl ...
and
Wolverhampton Wanderers
Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club (), commonly known as Wolves, is a professional football club based in Wolverhampton, England, which compete in the . The club has played at Molineux Stadium since moving from Dudley Road in 1889. The club's ...
,
apart in the
Black Country
The Black Country is an area of the West Midlands county, England covering most of the Metropolitan Boroughs of Dudley, Sandwell and Walsall. Dudley and Tipton are generally considered to be the centre. It became industrialised during its ro ...
of the
West Midlands
West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth.
Etymology
The word "west" is a Germanic word passed into some ...
.
The most successful side in the Black Country derby is
West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion Football Club () is an English professional football club based in West Bromwich, West Midlands, England. They compete in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football. The club was formed in 1878 and has pl ...
, losing just three of the past 23 matches between the two sides.
Wolves are currently in the
Premier League
The Premier League (legal name: The Football Association Premier League Limited) is the highest level of the men's English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Foo ...
, and West Brom in the
EFL Championship
The English Football League Championship (often referred to as the Championship for short or the Sky Bet Championship for sponsorship purposes) is the highest division of the English Football League (EFL) and second-highest overall in the E ...
following their relegation in
2021
File:2021 collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: the James Webb Space Telescope was launched in 2021; Protesters in Yangon, Myanmar following the 2021 Myanmar coup d'état, coup d'état; A civil demonstration against the October–November 2021 ...
.
History
Early history
The earliest Black Country derbies were contested before the formation of the
Football League
The English Football League (EFL) is a league of professional football clubs from England and Wales. Founded in 1888 as the Football League, the league is the oldest such competition in the world. It was the top-level football league in Engla ...
. The first ever derby took place on 20 January 1883, when Albion won 4–2 in the third round of the
Birmingham Senior Cup
The Birmingham Senior Cup is a football competition for Birmingham County FA club teams, organised by the Birmingham County Football Association. It began in 1876 and is the oldest county cup competition still active.
The Birmingham Senior Cup is ...
. Wolves and Albion's first two 'official' meetings came in the
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, more commonly known as the FA Cup, is an annual knockout football competition in men's domestic English football. First played during the 1871–72 season, it is the oldest national football competi ...
in 1886 and 1887,
[West Brom head-to-head v Wolves](_blank)
/ref> with Albion recording victories on both occasions and going on to reach the final in both years. The first of Walsall's fixtures against Wolves and Albion were also in the FA Cup, in 1889 and 1900 respectively.[Walsall head-to-head v Wolves](_blank)
/ref>[Walsall head-to-head v West Brom](_blank)
/ref>
With both West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers being founder members of the Football League in 1888, the Black Country derby between these two teams is one of the oldest in the world in league football. The fixture was contested in each of the first 13 league seasons from 1888 to 1901. Attendances in these early fixtures were modest, but that was the case across much of the country as football gradually grew in popularity at the turn of the century. By the 1906–07 season, the fixtures began to regularly attract crowds above 20,000 and a more intense rivalry emerged.
Post-war zenith
The Albion–Wolves derby reached its peak in the 1950s when both sides challenged for honours at the top of English football, with each in the First Division from 1949 to 1965. Wolves enjoyed league and cup domination for a good deal of the 1950s; finishing in the top 3 on nine occasions, winning the title three times and FA Cup twice in this period. Albion were also a strong side, renowned for their attacking flair, and also challenged near the top of the league. They won the FA Cup in 1954.
It was the 1953–54 season in which the sides finished as the top 2 clubs in the country for the first and only time. Wolves won the league title, finishing four points ahead of the ''Baggies'', despite Albion topping the table for the majority of the season. Wolves' league win coupled with Albion's cup win meant they contested the Charity Shield in 1954 – the only time the two teams have met in the final of any competition. The game finished 4–4 in front of a Molineux crowd of 45,035.
Throughout the rest of the century both sides met frequently, with a six-year period in the 1980s the longest gap without a meeting between the two Black Country rivals. Walsall's continued existence in the lower divisions meant they avoided any league meetings with either of their neighbours for decade after decade. However, in the 1980s they met Wolves for one season in 1985–86 and Albion for one season in 1988–89.
When the Premier League
The Premier League (legal name: The Football Association Premier League Limited) is the highest level of the men's English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Foo ...
was formed in 1992 both Albion and Wolves were outside the top division but they continued to meet in the 'new' First Division throughout the 1990s. The rivalry remained intense and due to police concerns and televised games, the fixture has not been staged at the traditional English kick-off time of 3pm on a Saturday since 1996. Hooliganism in the fixtures was a big problem in the 1960s and the frictions between fanbases causes regular restrictions on local pubs on match days.
Modern meetings
Following Walsall's unlikely promotion to the First Division in 1999, the 1999–2000 season represented the first time all three sides had ever been in the same division. Walsall took the bragging rights with a double over Albion and an away win at Molineux, while Albion and Wolves shared the spoils in both league fixtures. Albion and Walsall were in a battle with each other to avoid relegation and ultimately it was the ''Saddlers'' who faced the drop, putting an end to the three-way Black Country derbies after only one season.
A year later Walsall earned an immediate return to the First Division and once again all three sides occupied the same level in the 2001–02 season. This time around it was Albion and Wolves who were in direct competition in the league, with both sides going for promotion. Both fixtures against each other were in the first half of the season, with a 1–1 draw at the Hawthorns and a 1–0 victory for Albion at Molineux. By 6 March 2002, after 38 games of the season, Wolves were ten points ahead of Albion but gained only 9 more points compared to Albion's 22 in the last eight matches and the ''Baggies'' clinched automatic promotion in second place on the final day of the season. Wolves were subsequently beaten in the play-offs by Norwich
Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. As the seat of the See of Norwich, with ...
.
The ''Baggies'' were relegated from the Premier League after only one season and saw Wolves take their place in the top flight. To rub even more salt into the wounds, a Paul Merson
Paul Charles Merson (born 20 March 1968) is an English former professional footballer, manager, commentator and sports television pundit for Sky Sports.
Originally a forward, Merson found success as an attacking midfielder and playmaker later ...
-inspired Walsall side thumped them 4–1 on the opening day of the 2003–04 season. But it was Albion who had the last laugh, as they were promoted once again and Walsall's stint in the second tier came to an end as they dropped into League One
The English Football League One (often referred to as League One for short or Sky Bet League One for sponsorship purposes, and known as the Football League One from 2004 until 2016) is the second-highest division of the English Football Leag ...
.
After a five-year break without a derby between Albion and Wolves the 2006–07 season saw the teams meet a record five times. Albion won the first meeting 3–0 at the Hawthorns before Wolves won the return fixture 1–0 at Molineux. The clubs also met in the FA Cup fourth round, with Albion triumphing 3–0 at Molineux – a major riot followed in the city centre as hundreds of fans clashed. At the end of the season the clubs finished level on points and met in the Championship play-offs. Both legs were won by Albion, sending them through to the final 4–2 on aggregate. However, they lost 1–0 in the final to Derby
Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby gai ...
at Wembley
Wembley () is a large suburbIn British English, "suburb" often refers to the secondary urban centres of a city. Wembley is not a suburb in the American sense, i.e. a single-family residential area outside of the city itself. in north-west Londo ...
.
In the 2010–11 season the two sides met for the first time in the Premier League
The Premier League (legal name: The Football Association Premier League Limited) is the highest level of the men's English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Foo ...
, marking the first top flight derby in nearly 27 years. The first league meeting at the Hawthorns ended 1–1 with Jamie O'Hara giving Wolves a first-half lead before an injury time equaliser from Albion's Carlos Vela
Carlos Alberto Vela Garrido (born 1 March 1989) is a Mexican professional footballer who captains and plays for Major League Soccer club Los Angeles FC. Described as a versatile player who can play as a forward, winger, and attacking midfield ...
earned the ''Baggies'' a point. In the return fixture at Molineux, Wolves claimed the bragging rights with a 3–1 win. The victory was particularly crucial in helping Wolves escape relegation.
The latest meetings between Albion and Wolves were in the 2011–12 season when both clubs, again, competed in the top flight. Albion claimed a league double over their bitter rivals for the first time since 1997–98. A 2–0 win at the Hawthorns was followed by a 5–1 demolition of Wolves away at Molineux where Peter Odemwingie
Peter Osaze Odemwingie (born 15 July 1981) is a retired Nigerian professional footballer who played as a forward and winger.
Odemwingie grew up in Uzbekistan and Russia and began his career with Bendel Insurance in the Nigeria Premier League. ...
grabbed a hat-trick. Wolves manager Mick McCarthy
Michael Joseph McCarthy (born 7 February 1959) is a professional football manager, pundit, and former player. He was last in charge of EFL Championship club Cardiff City.
McCarthy began his playing career at Barnsley in 1977, and he later had ...
was sacked the next day and Wolves were relegated from the Premier League at the end of the season.
Wolves' demise continued and they found themselves relegated again the following season, meeting up with Walsall in League One
The English Football League One (often referred to as League One for short or Sky Bet League One for sponsorship purposes, and known as the Football League One from 2004 until 2016) is the second-highest division of the English Football Leag ...
in 2013–14. The two Black Country rivals met twice in the league and once in the Football League Trophy
The English Football League Trophy, known for sponsorship purposes as the Papa Johns Trophy after restaurant chain Papa John's Pizza, is an annual English association football knockout competition open to all clubs in EFL League One and EFL Le ...
. The most recent derby being a 3–0 victory for Wolves at Bescot Stadium on 8 March 2014.
The 2020–21 season saw Wolves and Albion- who had won promotion the season before- clash for the first time in 9 years. Their first meeting at the Molineux on 16 January 2021 ended in a 3–2 win for Albion, with two penalties from Matheus Pereira and a goal from Semi Ajayi
Oluwasemilogo Adesewo Ibidapo "Semi" Ajayi (born 9 November 1993) is a professional Association football, footballer who plays as a Defender (association football), centre-back or defensive midfielder for club West Bromwich Albion F.C., West Br ...
winning the match for WBA.
As of the 2021-22 season the three clubs are in three different divisions, as Wolves compete in the Premier League
The Premier League (legal name: The Football Association Premier League Limited) is the highest level of the men's English football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the English Foo ...
, Albion in the EFL Championship
The English Football League Championship (often referred to as the Championship for short or the Sky Bet Championship for sponsorship purposes) is the highest division of the English Football League (EFL) and second-highest overall in the E ...
and Walsall in the EFL League Two
The English Football League Two (often referred to as League Two for short or Sky Bet League Two for sponsorship purposes, and known as the Football League Two from 2004 until 2016) is the third and lowest division of the English Football Lea ...
.
List of derbies
Albion–Wolves
Statistics
Managers
Honours
Walsall–Wolves
Statistics
Managers
Honours
Walsall–Albion
Statistics
Managers
Honours
Crossing the divide
Albion–Wolves
Played for all three
References
{{United Kingdom football derbies
England football derbies
Football in the West Midlands (county)
Walsall F.C.
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.
Sport in Wolverhampton
Black Country
1886 establishments in England