Older readers will possibly remember that the last time the Albion were humiliated at home 4-0, by Walton and Hersham in the FA Cup in Novermber, 1973, Bristol Rovers were their next opponents. The score was an 8-2 reverse at the Goldstone, in fro
nt of the Big Match cameras.
I doubt that Rovers would have scored eight at the Memorial Ground on Tuesday night, but with an Albion injury list more akin to an episode of Holby City than a football club, the journey west, despite some impressive dealings in the loan market on Monday, was made with a fair bit of trepidation.
Thankfully, the rain came and came, and when I arrived at the ground at around 6.20pm, one look at the surface and a short night on the wireless looked on the cards.
As it turned out, results elsewhere certainly favoured the Albion and now the trip to Leyton Orient on Saturday becomes one of the most vital games in recent years.
I have always been the eternal optimist when it comes to the Albion, and whilst some are already writing the team off for relegation this year, I will not accept it until it is mathematically impossible.
Confidence is low at the moment, as is the rub of the green, but as we all know, that can change in a single 90 minutes.
Mark my words, if we win at Orient on Saturday, that could, depending on other results, get us out of the relegation zone. Then follow that up with good home results against Southend and Yeovil the following Tuesday and Saturday, and things will be back on track.
Just who will be the Albion manager by then remains to be seen. We seem to have more suspects than an Agatha Christie novel but I'm sure Dick knight will come up with a suitable candidate.
On the subject of the Albion injury list, a special get-well mention to defender Jim McNulty, who suffered horrendous internal injuries on Saturday after a collision and is still in hospital in Brighton, with his season over.
It was somewhat ironic that in the week that the latest British boxing gold medal Olympian, James Degale, made his professional debut, one of his predecessors, Chris Finnegan, sadly passed away.
Finnegan won middleweight gold in 1968 at the Mexico games, and then embarked on a professional career, the high spot of which was a 1972 world light heavyweight title fight, in the bygone days of one champion per weight division, against American Bob Foster at the Albert Hall.
Finnegan was eventually stopped in the 14th round after a gruelling contest which was later selected by Ring Magazine as Fight of the Year.
I had the pleasure of meeting him on a couple of Boxing Writers' dinners in London and he truly was a character.
One of the favourite stories I heard about him was during the Mexico games when there was lots of talk about how the athletes were going to be affected by the high altitude.
The BOA called a meeting at the Olympic village, which was attended by the entire British team. Prince Philip addressed the meeting and, in his own inimitable way, stated:"This altitude thing is a load of nonsense (or words to that effect). I have played polo three times in the last week and everything is fine, so let's forget all this rubbish and concentrate on winning medals".
To which the BOA officials then invited any questions from the floor. Silence bar one lone hand sticking-up.
"I'm Chris Finnegan from the boxing team. I'd like to ask the Duke if anyone has gone down the stables and asked the polo ponies how they are feeling?"
Rest in peace Chris, an entertainer both in and out of the ring.
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