After the convincing 6-1 rout of League bogey side Accrington in the League Cup first round, the Stags got a very good reward in becoming an away trip to last season’s PL outfit West Bromwich Albion.
And this will the the first time ever the sides face each other in a cup competition, but they have faced each other once in FL fixtures. This was in West Bromwich’s darkest-ever period in League and Cup history in the early 90’, when the Baggies were dumped out of the FA Cup at home to Woking, last season in the National League, and a few months later relegated to the third tier for the first and only time in their history, which meant playing against sides like Hartlepool, Darlington, Torquay and Chester in at least one of the two seasons in the third tier.
In the second of those seasons, West Bromwich faced the Stags and won both league fixtures.
On December 20, 1992, the Stags travelled to the Hawthorns and lost to a 2-0 scoreline. Already then, the Stags hovered round the relegation zone while the Baggies were promotion challengers around the playoff zone behind already runaway leaders Stoke City. For West Brom that season, Bob Taylor scored goals left, right and centre and ended up with 30 league goals. With just a few games remaining, on April 17, 1993, West Bromwich travelled to Field Mill for the first and so far only time in FL fixtures and won 3-0 in front of 6659, the Stags’ second-highest home game that campaign, only bettered by 6820 for the visit of Stoke City in September 1992.
West Bromwich Albion were one of the FL founder members way back in 1888-89 and have won the Division One Championship once, in 1919-20, being runners-up on two occasions, the latest in 1953-54 when the Baggies also won the FA Cup final by beating Preston. In 1968, West Bromwich most recently lifted the FA Cup by beating Everton in extra-time. Two seasons earlier, WBA won the League Cup for the first and only time by overcoming West Ham in the final two-legged affair. The following season, the League Cup final was played at Wembley for the first time ever with WBA as one of the participants. But then runaway Third Division winners
QPR stole the show by lifting the League Cup to a 3-2 scoreline. Little was to know then that WBA and QPR were to face each other at the highest level two seasons later! In 1969-70, West Bromwich also reached to League Cup final, but lost to Manchester City to a 2-1 scoreline.
Manchester City are among the sides the Stags have beaten in League Cup fixtures over the years. This happened at Maine Road during the 1998-99 campaign, in which last season’s PL champions played in the FL third tier for the first and only time. Other current and former PL sides the Stags have slain in League Cup fixtures over the years include Coventry and Wolverhampton (both in 1975-76, the Stags’ best League Cup campaign so far), Stoke on penalties and Southampton, both then as Championship sides in 2005-06. The Southampton victory was the first game for Peter Shirtliff as Stags boss following the resignation of Carlton Palmer, one out of a couple of players who have represented West Bromwich as well as the Stags in League history.
But the Stags’ most famous League Cup scalp must be the one of Leeds way back in 1994-95. Winning 1-0 at Elland Road in the first leg thanks to a Simon Ireland header, the Stags famously held on to a goal-less home draw in the second leg despite having a player sent off about ten minutes from time. The reward, just like after the kayoe of Southampton, was a home tie against Millwall.
Prior to the 6-1 rout of Accrington, the Stags’ latest victory in the League Cup was a 2-0 at Huddersfield after strikes by Michael Boulding and Richie Barker either side of half-time. Then, the Stags were rewarded with a home fixture against then PL side Portsmouth. Harry Redknapp, who the previous season had left Field Mill as a losing Southampton manager and, as a player, was in the West Ham side which were dumped out of the FA Cup to a 3-0 scoreline on February 26, 1969, saw Portsmouth work hard for a 2-1 victory on September 19, 2006.
Last season, West Bromwich were relegated from the PL after eight consecutive campaigns. Last season was definitely one most WBA fans would like to forget. Two managerial changes and a club-record run of FL defeats contributed to their downfall.
But WBA have had some prominent players over the years. To name a few: Jeff Astle (scorer of the FA Cup winning goal against Everton in 1968), Tony Brown (their record goal-scorer and the one with most FL and Cup appearances), Cyrille Regis (played in the team with during the 1978-79 season finished in third position in then Division One).
Quite a few players have appeared for both sides. Apart from Carlton Palmer, Tony Ford and Brian Jensen are but two.
Played for both sides: Chris Adamson, Russell Allen, George Banks, Luther Blissett, Tony Brien, Tony Ford, Brian Jensen, Tony Lowery, Stuart Naylor, Carlton Palmer, Steve Parkin, Imre Varadi. On loan from WBA to the Stags: Kyle Howkins (no first team game for WBA). Simon Brown was also on the WBA books before coming to the Stags.
Expect a very stern test for the Stags. Much may depend on which type of side WBA will field on Tuesday night, but likely a couple of first-teamers and fringe players. Hope for a good result, yet the game will be a tough one.
Come on Mansfield!