The Diary

30 December 2004: The Art Of Noise - In The Brummie, That Is

I wasn?t really planning to do a diary entry tonight. Honest. What with Thursday being a bit of a ?nothing day?, Albion-wise, I was meaning to let forth the literary stream on Friday, sit back, and digest some books I received for Christmas ? but a heartfelt appeal from Daz Ward late yesterday changed all that.

Some of you long-term diary readers out there might remember that Daz used to be the extremely personable, forthright, but always passionate figurehead behind the Ultras, the Brummie Road glee club, sworn to uplift the vocal level no matter what. And for a period, it genuinely worked. Urged on to the point of hoarseness from the back, the stand, on occasion rocked, while the lads in the holy stripes, buoyed up enormously by the deafening but impassioned din, rolled ? and how. Suddenly, The Hawthorns was a place opposing sides feared to tread. Add to that the Smethwick Enders, determined to remain ?top dog?, and responding in kind, and the Hawthorns quickly became an uplifting if deafening place to be on Saturday afternoons.

That was around three or four seasons ago. But now? Two promotions, one relegation later, pin your ears back and hearken to what passes for noise on Planet Hawthorns these days, and you really do wonder whether you?ve mistakenly arrived at the local cemetery instead. I?m more than well aware that events and results aren?t exactly conducive towards taking a passionate stance en-masse these days, and the somewhat aggressive attitude of some of our stewards doesn?t exactly help either, but surely we must have at least SOME people out there with leadership qualities sufficient to generate some kind of a positive atmosphere for the team? Look at the time Man Urinal came to our place the other week; laugh at their prawn-sandwich-eating support, or their embarrassing lack of supporters emanating from the Manchester region all you want, but of one thing I?m certain ? you certainly couldn?t knock the amazingly-fervent quantity and quality of their singing that day, or their spontaneity and inventiveness. Nor, come to think about it, Liverpool?s. But, that?s enough from me. As I said earlier, these pages primarily belong to Daz, and his only-slightly edited message, right now, so over to him:

?I am now a season-ticket holder in the East Stand. It's not that I deserted the Brummie, just that I decided to get my two eldest kids season tickets, and found the Brummie Road too smoky. I reeked of fags, and I don't even smoke, so I wasn't prepared to inflict it on them. Sure enough, a few of the other more vocal lads decided to seek pastures new, also - and crikey, don't we know it. Our vocal support this season is the worst I can remember for some time.

?Sure, I did get a bit of stick when I set up the Ultras, but I got a damn sight more pats on the back. I kid you not, I'd do it all again if I could, and I'm making a plea, now, for someone else to have a pop at it. Why? Because our team is in such desperate need of our support, and without it we've had it! Family commitments no longer allow me to give it the time I used to, otherwise I'd do it again like a shot. Was our support better then, or now? Ask yourselves that! So, what's needed? Some like-minded individual that wants to see our supporters doing what we're best at, (no, not whinging): getting behind our team to such an extent that opposing sides just don't want to play here! I'd suggest using GD, the Baggies paper and the programme to get supporters? attention, then get them to forward their information to the appropriate organ, and take it from there. Don't make the impulsive mistake that I made first time round of leaving a phone number. You'd be amazed at the low-life that gets hold of it. (No I wouldn?t! Glynis)

?It would then be a case of getting onto the club, and saying we need X amount of seats in a similar area. Of course, it would mean giving up your current seat (and this is where many fans lose interest), and seeing what the club can offer us. Don't dismiss our chairman here; in the past I've always found him most supportive of ideas like this. It may not happen this season because of finding the available seating, but next season? And if we do (dare I say it?) fall from the Premier, it'd be a stonewall certainty that we could get the number of seats required!

?Right, who's up for it? Whoever it is, you can rely on my support, I'm sure the Dick Eds will point you in my direction!?

Well, there?s a challenge for someone, somewhere; as Freddie Mercury once sang in his dying months, in the hit ?The Show Must Go On?, ?Hold the line, does anybody want to take it any more?? Fancy having a go, anyone? Carry on the illustrious Brummie Road tradition, as started in the mid-sixties by the cowboy-hatted ?Sammy? and his ?apprentice?, of whom I still have fond memories, the torch then passing in more recent times to people like Daz? As he says, leading, cajoling, urging The Brummie to greater vocal efforts on matchdays is not an easy task, and there will always be those who see fit to mock and jeer any efforts made on that score, consequently the job-description does include the possession of a rhinoceros-like hide, also. If you?re that person, or think you are, drop us a mail to dick@football4sale.com and we?ll gladly put you in touch with Daz so you can share his thoughts and observations on the subject.

Turning to other Albion-related matters, now, a quick word about our gaffer?s sudden apparent interest in Leeds' highly-rated England Under 21 goalkeeper Scott Carson, also Brescia?s Argentinian midfielder Matias Almeyda, who previously had spells with River Plate, Sevilla, Inter and Lazio, and now Hawthorns-bound, by the look of things. According to Robbo, the deal is more or less 100% sorted and he will be coming in early January. Albion are currently looking towards the FA Cup game as a possibility for him making his Baggies debut.

The second I can understand; having seen Brescia?s supporters ?in action? myself, albeit nine seasons ago, they must have been greatly displeased to feel sufficiently aggrieved enough to bust down the main gate of their training complex to get at the guy! And he to get the hell out at the first available opportunity. The first? This surprises me, quite frankly. From what I?ve seen, our Polish custodian, the one with the impossible name I can never quite spell right (Dot ? HELP!), isn?t bad at all, and we do still have Murphy out on loan with The Saddlers, and seemingly performing competently enough, so why are we suddenly in the business for yet another one?

That, quite frankly, puzzles me. Sure, Russell?s getting a bit long in the tooth these days ? 32, according to the media - and he has conceded quite a few this term, not surprising, given some of our more elementary defensive blunders, really, but having said all that, his performance at City the other day was unbelievable. City would have won by a margin of at least three or four had Houlty not been as astute as he was, and making all the brilliantly-executed saves and stops he did. I can only assume that the back problem that gave him so much trouble last season might be bothering him once more; certainly, of late, he does seem to be in quite a bit of pain when doing things that would normally come quite naturally to him, stuff like taking goal-kicks, for example. Being a back sufferer myself, I can spot symptoms a mile off, and that also might explain what, on the surface, at least, appeared to be a serious loss of form this season, spilled balls that should have been grabbed cleanly, failure to properly cut out crosses, and so forth.

The Noise does have a more cynical take on the whole business, though, centring around the fact all the newspaper talk might simply be a smokescreen to make us Baggie people believe something positive is being attempted to stop the rot. As our garrulous travelling companion said recently, it?s an easy thing to do, seemingly try to go for a player of that standard and reputation, then, once knocked back, turn around and say: ?Well, we did try to get him, but the lad chose to have talks with a bigger club than ours, instead?, that sort of thing. Additionally ? when we could get a word in edgeways, that is ? The Noise was also of the school of thought that believed a keeper to be a nice ?safe? initial signing for our leader. I?m not suggesting for a moment I?ve genuinely hit the nail on the head, here ? it?s just another bit of fuel chucked into the debate. You simply weigh up all the various bits of evidence according to personal belief and plausibility, then jump and land on one side of the fence or another. That bit?s up to you.

Back tomorrow for a look at those lovely Trotters, and what sort of side we?re going to put out for that one. And I'm also attending the shareholders AGM, taking place at the unbelievable time of ten AM; not that I expect any earth-shattering revelations, mind. Our manager doesn't have to attend any more, and Jeremy Peace's position as chairman is now unassailable, pretty-much. See you.

 - Glynis Wright

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