Alex Palmer raises Aston Villa example in plea to West Brom supporters
Alex Palmer has revealed his hope that West Brom fans can recreate the same atmosphere they did when the Baggies were last in the playoffs against Aston Villa.
West Brom are in the playoffs for the first time since 2019, when they were beaten on penalties by Villa in the semi-final second leg at the Hawthorns.
Johnstone watched on from the stands on that occasion but recalls the excellent voice of the home support and is looking forward to playing in that environment.
Speaking to Birmingham Live (11 May), he said: “I remember the Villa game, when we were last in the play-offs at home, I was watching and it was one of the best atmospheres I’ve felt.
“I was third-choice, behind Sam [Johnstone] and I think [Jonathan] Bondy. I remember watching from the gantry and it was incredible.
“To be able to hopefully play in that atmosphere, I’m looking forward to it. Hopefully the fans can make that happen. The fans have stuck with us through a difficult season off the pitch, but whenever we’ve shown up they’ve been great, especially away.”
West Brom supporters can roar the Baggies on to victory at The Hawthorns
West Brom will be hoping for a more positive outcome than when they last competed in the playoffs against Villa in 2019.
This season, their semi-final opponents are Southampton and it is the first leg which is at the Hawthorns, rather than the second.
Also unlike five years ago, this time it is the fifth-placed Baggies who are facing an opponent higher up in the table, with the Saints finishing fourth.
The points gap between the pair is stark – Southampton are 12 points ahead of West Brom – the same gap as between 10th-placed Preston North End and the Baggies.
However, finishing position rarely comes into the equation in the playoffs – fifth-placed Villa earned promotion in 2019, for example – and Carlos Corberan’s men will hope that they can produce a strong first-leg result, roared on by the Hawthorns faithful.
In other West Brom news, a supercomputer has predicted the outcome of the 2023-24 play-offs.
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