The Black Country derby is back as a league fixture, reviving one of English football’s oldest rivalries as Wolverhampton Wanderers face West Bromwich Albion at Molineux in front of home supporters for the first time since 2012.
First staged as a league meeting in December 1888 during the inaugural Football League season, the fixture saw Wolves win 2-1. Albion had already drawn first blood in the FA Cup, winning clashes in 1886 and 1887.
Across nearly a century and a half, the derby has produced moments of elation and heartbreak in equal measure. Since the rise of televised football, many of those episodes have been replayed endlessly, either cherished or avoided depending on allegiance.
In the Black Country, this matchup dominates conversation whenever the clubs share a division. It is the date supporters circle first, with pre-match exchanges growing louder with each renewal and every revisit to standout episodes from the past four decades.
For Wolves fans, highlights include Steve Bull’s first derby strike in 1989, Iwan Roberts’ hat-trick at The Hawthorns in 1996, George Ndah’s brace inspired by Keith Andrews’ display in 2001, and Steven Fletcher’s two goals in May 2011 that proved decisive in keeping Mick McCarthy’s side in the Premier League.
Albion followers point to Darren Bradley’s 35-yard effort in 1993, Bob Taylor’s late winner at The Hawthorns in 1995, Jordao’s decisive goal at Molineux in December 2001 during the season Albion edged Wolves to promotion by three points, and Carlos Vela’s stoppage-time equaliser in Roy Hodgson’s first match in charge in 2011.
And, looming in the collective memory, there is also that famous 5-1.
Black Country derby history and rival memories
The longevity and intensity of the Black Country derby are woven into the region’s sporting identity, from its 19th-century origins to the present renewal before a full crowd at Molineux. The catalogue of unforgettable goals and decisive results explains why anticipation endures each time Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Bromwich Albion are drawn together.