West Brom: Tom Ross shares what he witnessed fans do in Halfords Lane amid incident v Birmingham
Tom Ross has revealed that West Brom supporters were quick to point out an incident of alleged racism in Halfords Lane during the 1-0 win over Birmingham City at The Hawthorns on Saturday 3 February.
Writing via the Birmingham Mail (page 36, 7 February), Ross detailed what he saw as Juninho Bacuna was allegedly racially abused by a West Brom supporter during the clash with Blues, with that person having since been arrested and had their season ticket suspended.
“The usual banter between fans is always there, as it is with any club. So, it is so sad that a few idiots in last week’s derby against Wolves and one racist in the clash with Blues, should be allowed to besmirch their good name.
“I sat on the gantry just above the incident and saw how quickly the club reacted to the situation and how the fans in that area appeared to help by pointing out the alleged offender to the security people and stewards.”
West Brom must now show what The Hawthorns is really about
As Ross detailed in his column, West Brom “always have been, a warm, friendly, welcoming club to all who enter The Hawthorns.”
Unfortunately, that has not been the case in recent weeks, and the club will want to make sure they do everything they can to avoid similar incidents repeating themselves.
There is no place for racism in football and there never has been, and while the individual is yet to stand trial and be convicted of this alleged offence, the club have made the right decision to prevent them from entering the ground.
Should they be found guilty, that season ticket should be ripped up and that particular supporter should never be allowed to step foot in The Hawthorns again.
It is quite baffling that these conversations still need to be had in 2024. However, Ross’ revelation about what happened during the incident is encouraging and the fans’ response to the incident is a reflection of what West Brom is truly about.
In other West Brom news, one journalist has shared a takeover claim at The Hawthorns.
For more West Brom news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.