Football League World
·27 décembre 2024
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Yahoo sportsFootball League World
·27 décembre 2024
FLW looks at the most famous supporters of West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion are known for having one of the strongest supporter-bases across the Championship.
In what is the football-crazy area of the West Midlands, Albion have to compete with the likes of Aston Villa, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Birmingham City and Walsall when it comes to local pride, as well as attracting as many future supporters as possible.
And, given how strong attendance figures have been in the past twenty or so years in particular at The Hawthorns, especially the 2024/25 campaign as season-ticket sales surpassed the 20,000 mark, those within the inner-workings of the club will feel a huge sense of satisfaction in that regard.
Of course, the Baggies, like any club in English football, are known to have their fair share of celebrity supporters.
And, with that being said, Football League World has picked out six names who fall into said category.
Kickstarting this list is the only footballer to appear on it, in the form of Southampton keeper, Aaron Ramsdale.
The shot-stopper made the move to St Mary's for a reported £25m fee from Arsenal in August, after turning down a potential move to Albion's bitter rivals, Wolves.
That may come as no surprise given the fact that the Stoke-On-Trent-born keeper expressed his love for the club back in 2019 after discussing the performance of Ben Foster in an encounter between Watford and Ramsdale's former side, AFC Bournemouth.
“Fozzy made some great saves in the first half and it was great to share the pitch with him," he told the Daily Echo.
“Being a West Brom fan I watched him for a long, long time when he was there. The way he plays, the speed he plays at and being able to kick off both feet, I know his game inside and out.
“A few years ago, we played West Brom and he signed a shirt for me. He’s remembered ever since and he said ‘you’re a proper goalie, you can play out, you can kick it and you come for crosses."
Ramsdale has made just over 220 appearances across his senior career thus far.
Quinton-born Adrian Chiles is known to have a season ticket at The Hawthorns, as well as being the host of several official club events.
The 57-year-old once recalled that his first game was a 1-1 draw with Luton Town in April 1974, and has made his passion for the club clear with several references in his weekly columns for The Guardian, as well as holding a back-to-front tattoo of the iconic badge during an episode of the former 'Meet The Richardson's' sitcom back in 2022.
His 2007 book titled 'We Don't Know What We're Doing' also referred to his Albion-supporting life several times, as well as presenting a BBC Documentary, ''Whites v Blacks: How Football Changed a Nation', which had strong links to the club's predicament in the 1970s through the iconic 'Three Degrees' of Cyrille Regis, Brendon Batson and Laurie Cunningham.
In more recent times, Chiles was seen donning a West Brom jacket at the funeral of former One Direction member Liam Payne, who also supported the club.
Despite not being a professional footballer, Frank Skinner is one name who will forever be associated with the sport in this country.
The comedian and Radio DJ stated that his first game at The Hawthorns was a goalless draw against Southampton in December 1967, and that his boyhood hero was the immortalised figure of Jeff Astle.
In terms of his own work, Skinner will always be remembered for his double-act with David Baddiel on Fantasy Football League in the 1990s, which, in-turn, led to the creation of 'Three Lions', celebrating the home tournament of Euro 96, before producing further versions ahead of the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France and 2022 edition ahead of the winter tournament in Qatar.
Like Chiles, Skinner is no stranger to being spotted back in B71.
Lenny Henry is yet another famous face with an affiliation to his local side, with the 65-year-old previously placing on record how he fell in love with the club and in particular, the aforementioned 'Three Degrees' of Regis, Batson and Cunningham.
"The first football match I ever went to was at West Bromwich Albion, and it was when ‘The Three Degrees’ were playing. So, Cyrille Regis, the legendary Laurie Cunningham and the fantastic Brendon Batson, who's got a book out soon. And I loved it. To see three guys that look like me, playing Brazil-style football in West Bromwich was something to see, my friends," the Comic Relief founder told Virgin Radio in 2023.
TV and Radio personality Richie Anderson is yet another famous face who holds a season ticket for the Baggies, sitting in the famous Smethwick End of the 26,688 stadium.
Anderson has also showcased his support for the club's LGBTQ+ Supporters Group, Proud Baggies, of which he is a Patron.
In February 2024, Anderson produced an in-depth interview on BBC Sport's Football Focus programme, during which he spoke about his love for Albion, as well as how he feels accepted when coming to The Hawthorns, having come out as gay in 2018, which he revealed to his Sunday league side, Coombs Wood FC.
Later on in the year, the 37-year-old was the presenter of a club-specific documentary in October 2024, celebrating the importance of Black History Month with fellow supporters.
Rounding off this list is 36-year-old comedian, Joe Lycett.
Lycett is someone who is extremely proud to call this part of the world home, having presented his own TV show, 'Late Night Lycett' from studios in the Digbeth area of Birmingham, as well as hosting the inaugural 'International Day of Birmingham' in September 2024.
The Baggies fan also isn't afraid to express local bragging rights on his social media platforms, having taken a swipe at supporters of local rivals Birmingham City, as well as referencing his love for the club in a rant towards David Beckham in relation to the controversial 2022 World Cup in the Middle East.
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