West Bromwich Albion F.C.

West Bromwich Albion Football Club, often shortened to West Brom, the Baggies, or the Albion, is a professional football club based in West Bromwich, in the West Midlands of England. The team plays in the EFL Championship, the second tier of English football, and calls The Hawthorns its home, a ground they've occupied since 1900. Founded in 1878, the club has a deep history, including being a founding member of the Football League in 1888, the world's first professional football league.

Over the years, West Brom have spent 82 seasons in the top flight, with their most recent Premier League stint ending in 2021. They've claimed the English league title once, in the 1919–20 season, and finished as runners-up twice, in 1924–25 and 1953–54. The club has also enjoyed considerable success in the FA Cup, reaching ten finals and lifting the trophy five times. Their first FA Cup win came in 1888, the same year the league was formed, with subsequent victories in 1892, 1931, 1954, and most recently in 1968, which remains their last major trophy. They also won the League Cup in 1966, the first time they entered, and have reached two more finals since.

The team traditionally wears navy blue and white stripes, and the club badge features a throstle (a song thrush) perched on a hawthorn branch. West Brom share intense rivalries with Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers, the latter contesting the Black Country derby, one of the most passionate fixtures in English football. [edit]

West Bromwich Albion were formed in 1878 by workers from the George Salter Spring Works. They joined the Football League at its creation in 1888, and within a decade they had lifted the FA Cup twice, in 1888 and 1892. The early 20th century brought the club's only league title, in 1919–20, and a string of strong finishes, including second place in 1924–25.

The 1950s saw another league runners-up spot in 1953–54, alongside an FA Cup victory in 1954. The 1960s proved especially fruitful: a League Cup win in 1966 and a fifth FA Cup in 1968. That 1968 final against Everton remains the club's last major trophy. Through the following decades, West Brom yo-yoed between the top two divisions, with memorable Premier League campaigns under managers like Bryan Robson and Tony Pulis. Their most recent top-flight spell ended in 2021 after two seasons.

Off the pitch, the club has weathered financial and ownership turbulence. In April 2026, the EFL deducted two points for breaching profitability and sustainability rules, a blow that came during a promotion push. Despite that, the club regrouped under new manager James Morrison, who took charge in the summer of 2026. Morrison, a former midfielder, has leaned on youth, bringing in players like Jimmy-Jay Morgan and Rabby Nzingoula. The 2026–27 season opened with a 4–1 Carabao Cup win over Rotherham United, setting up a tie with Newcastle United. [edit]