How a suspended season was a bad break for West Brom

With the season suspended and with nine games still remaining, Slaven Bilic and his players know there can be no room for complacency with Fulham, Brentford and Nottingham Forest all hot on their heels.

And they only have to look at one of the greatest teams in Albion’s history to see things don’t always go to plan after an enforced break.

Football was also suspended back in the 1978/79 season – albeit in very different circumstances.

In what became known as the Winter of Discontent, blizzards held the country in an icy grip that led to widespread disruption across all four divisions.

More than 100 league matches were postponed, dozens were abandoned and, of the matches that did go ahead, attendances were severely hit due to the problems with road and rail services.

It was Albion, though, under the guidance of Ron Atkinson, who were hit harder than most.

Before the snow came, the Three Degrees – Cyrille Regis, Laurie Cunningham and Brendon Batson – were not only lighting up the First Division, they were also playing a huge role in changing mindsets at a time when the National Front were leaving leaflets at the turnstiles.

All three of them shone in Atkinson’s attacking side.

But this was a team with stars all over the field.

A young Bryan Robson patrolled the midfield alongside the prolific Tony Brown. Full-back Derek Statham added to an already potent attack with marauding runs down the left flank.

And while Atkinson was at the helm, Brown revealed their swashbuckling style was years in the making with previous boss Johnny Giles also still having a big impact on the team.

“To be fair, the groundwork was done by Johnny Giles,” Brown recalled.

“He drilled into us the value of possession.

“When Ron came in, he wanted us to move the ball a bit quicker.

“Those two values worked with that group and especially with Ron around. He was a brilliant motivator. We just worked on the basis that we would score more than the opposition.”

When the blizzards hit, Albion were top of the league with a four-point cushion over reigning European champions Liverpool.

They secured a famous 5-3 win over Manchester United.

And one clever trick Atkinson used to keep his team ahead was investing in some astro-turf boots to help his men retain their footing on the slippery surfaces.

The boss later hailed it as a masterstroke on the back of a few decent results in snowy conditions.

“I got the idea from West Germany,” Atkinson said after his side beat Bristol City 3-1.

“My players told me that the boots helped them keep their balance excellently.”

But when football got suspended, the boss decided to take his team on a trip to Guernsey. And it may be that decision that cost his team the title – with Ally Robertson admitting they returned to league action a different side – having simply had too much fun.

“We were top of the league and playing fantastic when the league got called off,” Robertson recalled.

“All the pitches became too frozen to play on.

“I think it was four games that got postponed but, prior to it being called off, we were flying and scoring goals for fun. We had such a talented, attacking, team. But we were never the same when it all started up again.

“Ron Atkinson took us to Guernsey to keep fit. Blues went as well and we played them in a friendly.

“The truth is when we were there, we had a great time.

“There was a lot of drinking and a lot of partying.

“But it was too much and when we came back we weren’t the same side.

“We just couldn’t get going. And in the February, we were beaten 2-1 by Liverpool at Anfield and they didn’t look back.

“I honestly believe if the season hadn’t of stopped, we would have won the league. It’s a real shame.

“Of course, things are very different these days and the players are all keeping in shape with their own individual programmes.

“But we are certainly a lesson for what can go wrong when football is suspended.

“Our boys now have got to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself and go on to get promoted.”