FA Cup Round 4 Preview

08 January 2007

Albions reward for knocking Leeds United out of the FA Cup on Saturday depends on the outcome of a replay: on Fourth Round weekend, Friday 28th January to Sunday 30th, they will travel to either Oldham or Wolverhampton. It's not exactly a mouthwatering prospect either way. At least, we didn't think so until Dave Watkin chimed in enthusisatically:

"The draw offers two exciting possibilities. A local derby and a chance to confirm our record as Cup Giants of the Black Country against The Dingles in their own back yard, or a tie against The Latics, a club we have never met in over a century of FA Cup competition."

"Our FA Cup record against WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS is exceptional. We?ve won more ties against Wolves than against any other club. In total, the clubs have been drawn together eight times and seven times we?ve been victorious. Interestingly, after three of those encounters the victors have gone on to win the trophy, Albion in 1888 and 1931 and Wolves in 1949. We were comfortable winners the first three times we met, all at our old Stoney Lane ground, by 3-1 in 1885-86, 2-0 in 1887-88 and 1-0 in 1894-95. We were also drawn at home in 1923-24 and 1930-31, but both of the matches at The Hawthorns finished 1-1. We won the first replay at Molineux 2-0 and then seven years later, en-route to our unique FA Cup and Promotion Double, we won 2-1. In 1948-49, in the first post-war clash, we suffered our only defeat, 1-0 in the 6th Round at Molineux. However, in the fifties and sixties we were back to winning ways. In 1955-56 we met our local rivals in the 3rd Round at Molineux and won 2-1, thanks to goals from Frank Griffin and George Lee. Our most recent encounter was exactly forty-five years ago, on Saturday 27th January 1962, also in the 4th Round. Our team was Wallace; Howe, S. Williams; Robson, Jones, Drury; Jackson, Burnside, Smith, Kevan, Clark and in front of a crowd of 46,411, Clive ?Chippy? Clark scored twice as we won 2-1."

"Surprisingly, we?ve never met OLDHAM ATHLETIC in either of the major cups. Our league record at Boundary Park is not special; in 25 games we?ve only won 5 and drawn 6. We?ve fared slightly better in the ten most recent encounters, played since 1974, recording three wins and two draws. The most memorable game by far was our 1-0 victory on Saturday 24th April 1976, when Tony Brown netted the only goal to ensure promotion back to the top flight. Our biggest victory in that sequence was 3-1 on Boxing Day 1988, when Don Goodman, Robert Hopkins and Gary Robson scored. The most recent game in Oldham was just over ten years ago, on 1st October 1996, when Paul Groves scored an 88th minute equaliser in a 1-1 draw."

Ok, we take it back. It could be quite nice.

Previous Stories:

  05 January 2007:  New midfielder!

  03 December 2006:  FA Cup: Leeds at Home

  01 December 2006:  Wallwork stabbed in Manchester

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