Mattock, Cunningham and Brown
Former foxes at WBA

THE CUNNING FOX, 01.11.2009

TCF has memories of players such as Ally Brown and Laurie Cunningham when you talk about former foxes at WBA. Brown was a fans favourite at City in the late 60's and early 70's.

Jimmy Bloomfield decided to let the young Scot leave and join WBA in 1971. The player will today be more famous for his years at The Hawthorns than the time he spent at Filbert Street.

Laurie Cunningham made his name in football while at WBA. He played with Brown and a certain Cyrille Regis in a striking force that put WBA on the map in English football during the late 70's.

Cunningham joined City on loan in the 1985-86 season, coming in from French club Marseille. Cunningham contributed well and helped City survive in the top flight.

Goalkeepers Mark Grew and Russell Hoult are two others who both had periods at City and WBA. Neither of them will be famous for their time at City and had a better life at WBA.

Peter Eastoe, a good striker who is more known for his years at QPR and Everton than his time with City and WBA, played for City and WBA in the mid 80's, so did a certain Steve Lynex who was a big hero at Filbert Street.

Joe Mattock made the headlines when he joined WBA from City in front of this season. The England U.21 international wanted to leave City and it looked a bit strange that he joined WBA, instead of a Premier League club. West Ham, Everton and Liverpool were all mentioned as possible new clubs for Mattock.

Winston White, had a life in both camps, so had Tony Brien and Kevin Campbell. James Chambers who joined City from Watford a few years back started his career with WBA and is now with Doncaster Rovers.

Franz Carr, Nicky Cross, Graham Fenton and Andy Johnson are also former boys from both camps. Lloyd Dyer joined City from MK Dons. He started his proffesional career at The Hawthorns and played Premier League football for the Baggies.

One of City's top goalscorers was Arthur Rowley. Rowley started his career at WBA, playing only 24 games and scoring 4 goals before he was sold to Fulham in 1948. He later joined City from Fulham and went on to score 251 goals in 303 league games.

City's current assistant manager Craig Shakespeare is a former baggies, who played 112 games during four year spell at The Hawthorns.

Fox favourite Frank Sinclair had a short loan period at WBA in the 1991-92 season, playing 6 games and scoring 1 goal in his short spell in stripes.

City's former manager Jock Wallace was down at WBA from 1959 to 1962 and a certain David Speedie was loaned out to WBA when he was a player at Southampton.