Greatest West Brom Players Ever | Top 10 Baggies Legends
2. Jesse Pennington (1903-1922)
Pennington was an elegant defender. He played left-back for almost 20 years and was regarded as an elegant defender. He served as captain when West Brom won its League title and brought the club to Division Two success.
Although his career was interrupted by World War I, Pennington made 455 league appearances for the club. He remains the only man to captain Albion to a League title, back in 1920. He also helped the club to Division Two success in 1910/11 and was a losing FA Cup finalist in 1912.
Pennington was capped 25 times by England, also skippering the national team. He returned to Albion as a scout between 1950-1960. After retiring, he was made a life member of the club in 1969, a year before he died in Kidderminster.
1. Tony Brown (1963-1980)
The ‘Bomber’ made more appearances and scored more goals for Albion than any other player. He joined West Bromwich Albion as an apprentice professional on 13 April 1961, earning a wage of £6 a week. He turned professional on 27 September 1963 and was immediately called up to the first team squad for the away match at Ipswich Town the following day.
Brown became a regular first team player during the early part of the 1964–65 campaign. He bridged the late 1960s era, which brought Albion FA Cup (1968) and League Cup success (1966), with the exciting, swashbuckling late 1970s – a team which so nearly won the title in 1979.
He also became the first player to score in every round of the League Cup, including a hat-trick in the semi-final, second leg against Peterborough United. In the final, Brown’s goal helped his team to a 4–1 second leg victory over West Ham United. Albion won 5–3 on aggregate to take the trophy and secure Brown his first major honour.
Described as ‘Mr Albion’ by former boss Ron Atkinson, Brown is also the record goalscorer for the club in the League, FA Cup and European competition. He also scored the goal which clinched Albion’s promotion in 1976.
Honourable Mentions: Laurie Cunningham, John Osborne, Russel Hoult, Don Howe, Willie Johnston, Derek Statham.
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