Days Gone By | Bluebirds vs. Baggies
Wednesday night's match will mark the 60th time that Cardiff City and West Bromwich Albion have met.
Of the 59 previous meetings, 53 have been in the league while six have taken place in Cup competitions.
The first meeting between the two sides came in Division One in 1921. Having drawn 2-2 at the Hawthorns in their first ever game, they would meet again a week later at Ninian Park. Two goals from James Gill saw the Bluebirds gain their first win in the rivalry in front of 35,000 fans. Fred Stewart’s side would go on to finish that season in a commendable fourth place.
Throughout the 1920s the Bluebirds and the Baggies met frequently. In the 16 contests that took place during this period, City came out on top on eight occasions, with the spoils being shared twice.
1931 saw the teams head in different directions. Whilst the Bluebirds were relegated to Division Three, Albion won promotion to Division One and lifted their third FA Cup, defeating local rivals Birmingham City in the Final.
The sides wouldn’t meet again until 1946, when they were drawn together in the FA Cup. After drawing the first leg 1-1, West Brom would go on to win 5-1 on aggregate.
The next season, both teams would once again grace Division Two together. The Bluebirds won the first rematch 3-2 at the Hawthorns. A brace from Doug Blair and one for Colin Gibson did the job.
For a decade during the 50s and 60s, the Bluebirds and the Baggies battled in Division One and would routinely face off against each other. The highlight for City was a 3-1 Boxing Day win in 1960, with Derek Tapscott netting a hat-trick.
With City getting relegated in 1962, the rivalry was put on hold once again. That was until 1973, when Albion returned to the second tier. But when West Brom were promoted two seasons later, there wouldn't be a meeting between the teams until 2003.
When the teams faced off again in the new millennium, they began with a 1-1 draw. Robert Earnshaw’s second half penalty levelled the contest, after future City loanee Jason Koumas had opened the scoring.
The Bluebirds enjoyed two memorable meetings with the Baggies in the Premier League in 2013/14. At Cardiff City Stadium, Peter Whittingham’s header sealed a 1-0 win, before a last-minute equaliser from Mats Møller Daehli sent the away fans in the Smethwick End into delirium, as City battled back to a 3-3 draw at the Hawthorns.
After two consecutive draws, including a 0-0 stalemate at the Hawthorns in August, the Bluebirds will be hoping to notch up their 19th victory over the Baggies on Wednesday night.
