Hate Thy Neighbour - Part 1: Fierce But Forgotten

The re-emergence of the Black Country Derby

Nine miles separates Molineux, the home of Wolverhampton Wanderers, and The Hawthorns, home of their biggest rivals, West Bromwich Albion. The two clubs were formed a year apart, Wolves in 1877 followed by West Brom in 1878. This close proximity and shared longevity created a bitter rivalry forged in trophies, heartbreak, passion, and working class pride until the early 2010s, where the rivalry hit pause for almost a decade.

So, before it's prolonged absence from the pitch, what made the Black Country derby one of the must-see games in British football?

Familiar foes

One of many strong challenges in a Black Country derby

One of many strong challenges in a Black Country derby

In 2008, a Football Pools survey of 6000 fans saw the Black Country derby ranked as the fiercest rivalry in the country.

This was coming off the back of the West-Midlanders butting heads five times in the calendar year of 2007, with two league meetings, an FA Cup tie and a two-legged Championship play-off semi-final.

As the Birmingham Mail's Wolves reporter Alex Dicken recounted, the cup tie was another example of Albion getting one over on the old enemy:

"Wolves ended up giving West Brom the South Bank, which is their biggest home stand, purely for ticketing reasons. Wolves fans never really forgave Jez Moxey, CEO at the time, for that. When West Brom won the game, they (WBA fans) ended up putting Tesco carrier bags all over the seats after Wolves fans always took the mick that their shirt looked like one. It's one that still grates on them now.

Tesco bags scattered across the South Bank after a West Brom cup win

Tesco bags scattered across the South Bank after a West Brom cup win

"At that stage, I don't think there were two clubs in a rivalry in the country that had that many big games."

*Post-Second World War matches only

*Post-Second World War matches only

Working man's pride

Both areas have huge working heritage, Wolverhampton specialised in wool before the Industrial Revolution saw the shift to coal mining and engineering, the latter of which is still a big contributor to the city's economy.

West Bromwich also became a coal mining town and was hit hard, not only during Second World War bombings that damaged infrastructure and took lives, but also by Margaret Thatcher's Britain as the impact of the 1980s left the area with mass unemployment. As recently as 2019, parts of the town rank in the top 1% of deprived areas in the country based off data from the Consumer Data Research Centre.

An arrest made during the miner's strikes in the Midlands

An arrest made during the miner's strikes in the Midlands

This level of hardship can form pride, and the pride of the Black Country floods into it's football clubs and their achievements as the Wolves Fancast say:

"They were founded  around the same time and were both founding members of the football league. Both have had historic FA Cup success as well as winning the old division one."

Wolves' 1959 Division One winning squad

Wolves' 1959 Division One winning squad

Football League writer Sarah Rudge also shared the role the sport plays in this part of the world:

"Both sets of fans are hugely passionate about their clubs and I think we both come from a working class background in a city where football is a very important part of people's lives."

Home is where the heart sinks

Before 2021, the last meeting between Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Bromwich Albion came almost nine full years earlier in February 2012.

West Brom took all three points, but the manner of victory and the implications of it were very different to today.

The sides were level at the break, with Peter Odemwingie's opener cancelled out by Wolves' Steven Fletcher in stoppage time. Captain on the day Jonas Olsson put the Baggies back ahead before the floodgates well and truly opened. Odemwingie scored again, followed by Keith Andrews adding a fourth to celebrate becoming the first player since Don Goodman to play for both sides in the derby. Then, in the final minutes, Odemwingie again. A hat-trick, humiliation in the home end, and derby day bragging rights secured by Albion for nearly a decade.

The result saw Wolves slip into the relegation zone and manager Mick McCarthy was sacked the next day. Terry Connor couldn't steer Wolves to safety as they finished rock bottom, meanwhile noisy neighbours West Brom sealed a top half finish.

Proud Baggie, Sarah described it as her favourite derby moment:

"It was a huge game for both clubs and it gave us the springboard to go on and survive in the top flight. Peter Odemwingine scored a hat trick and his celebration is one that our supporters will never forget. "

Despite both clubs' fortunes changing drastically since that cold Sunday afternoon, the result still sticks with Wolves fans, such as the Wolves Fancast who said:

"In derby games, I think you’re only as good as your last result, no matter what’s happened since. Until Jimenez notches a hat trick and Wolves psychologically break West Brom which culminates in them suffering back to back relegations the bragging rights won’t be Wolves' in the eyes of the opposition."

Many would've been forgiven for thinking such an astonishing game would surely stick as one of English football's great derby matches, but the longer the teams avoided each other, the further the derby drifted to the wayside.

Up, down, shaken all around

Wolves played in League One for the first time since 1989 in 2013

Wolves played in League One for the first time since 1989 in 2013

After suffering back-to-back relegations between 2011 and 2013, Wolves bounced back to the Championship and stabilised until investment from new Chinese owners Fosun International turned the tide.

Jorge Mendes (right) at Molinuex

Jorge Mendes (right) at Molinuex

In 2017/18, Mendes-Mania ran wild all over the second tier as Nuno Espirito Santo's super-agent Jorge helped acquire players such as Diogo Jota and Champions League stand-out Ruben Neves. The influx of Portugese power saw Wolves coast to the title and challenge for Europe in the subsequent seasons.

Wolves stormed to the Championship title in 2018

Wolves stormed to the Championship title in 2018

On the Albion side, things intially looked up. They followed up their 10th placed finish in 2011/12 with an 8th place spot, inspired by Chelsea loanee Romelu Lukaku.

Romelu Lukaku scored 17 times while on loan from Chelsea in 2012/13

Romelu Lukaku scored 17 times while on loan from Chelsea in 2012/13

More mid-table finishes saw West Brom have eight straight top-flight campaigns, but in 2017/18 a Pulis plus Pardew plummit saw the Baggies relegated.

Alan Pardew was sacked as Baggies boss after less than five months in charge

Alan Pardew was sacked as Baggies boss after less than five months in charge

After years on top, the tables had turned, and it was hard to take as Albion fan and Express and Star writer, Alex Newton said:

"It did really sting. With our board level and managerial appointments compared to down the road where Wolves are bringing in Champions League players. We felt like they'd never been so high and we'd never been so low."

West Brom have struggled since their Premier League return

West Brom have struggled since their Premier League return

Despite recent promotion back into the Premier League, the feeling is a gap is still present.

Since the derby has returned to the top flight, it may not be the most global fixture, but Alex Dicken made the point of how that's to its advantage:

"With Liverpool and Manchester United, a lot of supporters aren't from the area. With this rivalry, everybody in the stadium on a matchday is going to know exactly what it means. They're gonna go to school in Dudley or wherever the next day and come face-to-face with friends from the opposition. It's bigger in that sense."

West Brom fans celebrating against their rivals at The Hawthorns

West Brom fans celebrating against their rivals at The Hawthorns

Alex Newton perhaps summarises the feelings that surround the derby the best:

"It's not glamorous, there's no Sky or BT to dress it up. It's a raw, passionate derby. It's not a well off area, the Black Country. It's a working area and that's the same with the derby."