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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Barry Glendenning

West Bromwich Albion and the beauty of the struggle

Boiler Man and Baggie Bird
Boiler Man and Baggie Bird kept West Brom’s mascot game strong, though. Photograph: Matt West/Shutterstock

BOINGED OUT OF THE BAGGIES

When it comes to word association Football Daily immediately links West Bromwich Albion with Adrian Chiles, due in no small part to the avuncular broadcaster and star Big Website columnist being one of the Baggies’ more famous high priests of pessimism. Upon hearing that his struggling club had dispensed with the services of yet another head coach, we checked in to make sure the man we don’t know well enough to call “Chilesey” hadn’t taken it upon himself to sally forth to the Hawthorns and run amok with the new yellow power tool he recently bought in order to “address lifelong self-esteem issues” through the medium of DIY. We’re happy to report that, at the time of writing, the famous old ground’s Smethwick End is still standing and bears no resemblance to a colander.

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