Freddie Goodwin.
Well-known member
Albion's promotion push, under Freddie Goodwin, ran out of steam over the Easter of 1970.
The strain had been showing a while, since hitting the top spot a few weeks earlier, and the good form was mainly down to being almost invincible at home.
But a busy Easter schedule put paid to that. Easter was often the last big hurdle before the home straight. Albion's Easter started well enough when over 32,000 crammed the Goldstone to see us beat Reading 2-1. Without looking at the scoreres, I'm pretty sure it was Dawson & Duffy, probably the widest front pairing in history! This was a big game and the live commentry match on national BBC radio.
From Friday to Saturday and a long trip to Halifax where we lost 1-0 to lowly opposition. Away defeats were becoming a habit. Still, there was the big game at Craven Cottage on Easter Monday.
So, 3 games in 4 days. The Cottage was so much different then with no riverside stand, just open terracing and the Thames behind. I'm sure the boat race was on when we were there once, maybe even at this game.
You could walk around most of the ground so the Albion fans made their way to the Fulham end and under cover, so there was quite an atmosphere.
The pitch seemed to be in 3 strips with grassy wings and a large, muddy, strip from goal to goal. Not long after KO there was a torrential downpour and that central strip looked like the Thames.
Fulham were hitting form, too late for a promotion push (only 2 and no play offs) and they tore us apart down both wings. From giving it large at the start of the game, we were humiliated by 4-1, Howard Wilkinson scoring our consolation.
Although still 2nd, our season faded out. Orient were top and went up with Luton. Goodwin was poached by Birmingham at the end of the season and hopes of promotion faded as the next season was re-building.
The strain had been showing a while, since hitting the top spot a few weeks earlier, and the good form was mainly down to being almost invincible at home.
But a busy Easter schedule put paid to that. Easter was often the last big hurdle before the home straight. Albion's Easter started well enough when over 32,000 crammed the Goldstone to see us beat Reading 2-1. Without looking at the scoreres, I'm pretty sure it was Dawson & Duffy, probably the widest front pairing in history! This was a big game and the live commentry match on national BBC radio.
From Friday to Saturday and a long trip to Halifax where we lost 1-0 to lowly opposition. Away defeats were becoming a habit. Still, there was the big game at Craven Cottage on Easter Monday.
So, 3 games in 4 days. The Cottage was so much different then with no riverside stand, just open terracing and the Thames behind. I'm sure the boat race was on when we were there once, maybe even at this game.
You could walk around most of the ground so the Albion fans made their way to the Fulham end and under cover, so there was quite an atmosphere.
The pitch seemed to be in 3 strips with grassy wings and a large, muddy, strip from goal to goal. Not long after KO there was a torrential downpour and that central strip looked like the Thames.
Fulham were hitting form, too late for a promotion push (only 2 and no play offs) and they tore us apart down both wings. From giving it large at the start of the game, we were humiliated by 4-1, Howard Wilkinson scoring our consolation.
Although still 2nd, our season faded out. Orient were top and went up with Luton. Goodwin was poached by Birmingham at the end of the season and hopes of promotion faded as the next season was re-building.
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