Stories
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Bolton Wanderers’ Kenny Davenport was revealed to have scored the historic goal
30 August ~ A plaque commemorating the scorer of the first League goal in world football has been made but now needs a home. It was originally thought that the first Football League goal had been an own goal by Aston Villa’s Gershom Cox but research a few years ago by sports writer Mark Metcalf and Robert Boyling revealed that kick-off in that match had been delayed, meaning the accolade actually belonged to former Bolton Wanderers player Kenny Davenport, who scored the opening goal in his team’s 6-3 loss to Derby County.
Frustration growing at The Hawthorns but there are glimpses of a bright future
27 August ~ If West Midlands football seems to struggle for attention in the face of the national media’s obsession with north-west and north-east clubs, West Bromwich Albion sometimes seem to be overlooked even in a local context. This was understandable 20 years ago, when Aston Villa were always at least one division higher, Wolves and Birmingham were loudly targeting promotion or expensive signings, and the most exciting news from The Hawthorns tended to be of the “Stacy Coldicott signs new one-year deal” variety. It is less so now that Albion are the region’s only top-flight club and in the midst of a takeover headed by Chinese businessman Guochuan Lai.