NEWS, NOTES & MILESTONES

1982 - Albion suffer their biggest ever League Cup defeat when they lose 6-1 to Nottingham Forest in a second round tie at the City Ground.

BIRTHS

1980 - Abdoulaye Méïté

Paris-born Abdoulaye Méïté started his professional career in 1998 in his home city with AS Red Star 93. He spent two years with the club before joining French giants Marseille where he enjoyed a successful six year stay. In July 2006 he moved to England, joining Bolton Wanderers. He was a regular in the Bolton side for 18 months before he fell out with Wanderers’ boss Gary Megson towards the end of the 2007/08 season. He would never play for the club again and in August 2008 he moved to The Hawthorns for a fee of £2million. He spent three years with Albion, making 56 first team appearances. On leaving the West Midlands he returned to France, spending a season with Dijon before joining Finnish side FC Honka in March 2013.

1978 - Carl Hoefkens

Belgian international Carl Hoefkens started his career in 1996 in his homeland with Lierse. Spells with fellow Belgian clubs Lommel, Westerlo and Germinal Beerschot followed before he joined Stoke City in the summer of 2005. He spent two years at City, becoming a popular figure with the club’s supporters, before moving to The Hawthorns in August 2007. He made an impressive start at Albion but his form gradually fell away and he was released at the end of the 2008/09 season after making 62 appearances for the Baggies. On leaving Albion he returned to Belgium with Club Brugge and stayed there for four years before rejoining his first club Lierse in August 2013.

1889 - Charles Deacey

Charlie Deacey joined Albion in May 1910 from his home-town club Wednesbury Old Athletic. The centre-half, who had actually started his career as a centre-forward, spent four years at The Hawthorns but made just 19 appearances before leaving for Hull City in June 1914. Deacey, who was part of the Hull side that knocked Albion out of the FA Cup in 1915, spent six years with City before he moved onto Grimsby Town. Deacey died in 1952 at the age of 62.

1878 - William Garraty

Born in Saltley, Birmingham, Billy Garraty played non-league football around his local area before joining Aston Villa in 1897. He spent 11 hugely successful seasons at Villa Park, scoring over 100 goals and becoming an England international in the process. The striker left Villa Park for Leicester Fosse in September 1908 but spent just a few weeks there before moving to The Hawthorns. Garraty dismissed notions that he was past his best by notching 22 goals in 59 starts for Albion. After leaving the Baggies in November 1910 he spent a short spell with Lincoln City before hanging up his boots. He returned very briefly to Villa Park as a trainer before leaving football to work as a drayman for Ansells Brewery, a role he held until his death in Birmingham at the age of 52 in May 1931.

1872 - William Richards

West Bromwich-born Billy Richards signed professionally for Albion in July 1894, joining from West Bromwich Standard. He spent seven years with the club, scoring 42 goals in 148 appearances, and finishing as the club's top goalscorer in both the 1895/96 and 1898/99 seasons. He left for Newton Heath (now Manchester United) for a £40 fee in April 1901 but after just one season in Manchester, in which he played just nine games, he returned to the Midlands football scene, firstly with Stourbridge and then Halesowen Town, before retiring in 1907. He died in his home-town in February 1926 at the age of 53.

1859 - George Holden

England international George Holden spent one season with Albion after joining from Wednesbury Old Athletic in July 1886. Holden, who had previously guested for the club in 1883, played in 31 first team games for the the Baggies before returning to his previous club in June 1887. He would spend just one season back with Wednesbury before moving onto Derby Midland with whom he would spend four years before retiring from football. The winger won four full England caps between 1881 and 1884 and regularly represented Birmingham FA. Holden also had a brief spell at Aston Villa prior to joining Albion. It is believed that the West Bromwich-born player, who was an axle-turner by trade and who in later years served as a local councillor, died during the 1920s or 30s.
 

DEATHS

None known.

DEBUTS

None known.
 

FAREWELLS

1962 - John Lovatt v Aston Villa, Villa Park, First Division.

1900 - Platt Gollings & Billy Richards v Manchester City, The Hawthorns, First Division.

TRANSFERS

None known.

RESULTS