Albion’s best day under Morrison: a 3–1 win at West Ham sends them into the top four
Sunday 1 November 2026 · By Rhys Morgan
West Bromwich Albion moved into the top four with a 3–1 win at West Ham, and James Morrison called it the best performance of his reign. “It was a complete performance,” he said.
Felix Horn Myhre scored the opener after 20 minutes, getting on the end of Jimmy-Jay Morgan’s low centre. Morgan scored himself within three minutes of the restart, and Callum Styles added a deflected third. West Ham’s reply was a Jarrod Bowen goal that took a deflection off Styles. Isaac Price played a part in all three Albion goals, according to the Express & Star, and 3,000 travelling fans enjoyed it.
It was also the first time Albion had beaten a side in the current top 12 this season. Morrison explained the thinking behind starting Morgan up front: he felt the physicality of West Ham’s two centre-backs would “eat up” Aune Heggebo and Barney Stewart, so he wanted someone “clever, running in behind”.
A correction on that point. Last week we credited Heggebo with the 82nd-minute equaliser at Preston on 24 October. After the EFL’s dubious goals process, the goal was credited to Morgan, because the ball took a slight deflection off him. Morrison said both strikers wanted it. We got that wrong, and the same applies to our Preston report.
There is a blow in midfield. BBC Sport reports Toby Collyer faces up to six weeks out with a hamstring injury, and the club are eyeing a return to training in late November.
Albion are fourth on 24 points, level with Wolves and just behind them on goal difference. They host Southampton on Tuesday 3 November (kick-off 20:00 GMT) and Millwall on Saturday 7 November (15:00 GMT).
The Hawthorns has been home to West Bromwich Albion since 1900 and sits on the high ground of West Bromwich, a short hop from Junction 1 of the M5. For visiting supporters it is a compact, all-seater ground of about 26,800, with four distinct stands pulled close to a 105 by 68 metre pitch. There is no running track, so the crowd sits right on top of the action. That closeness is the point of the place: when the home end is in voice the noise travels quickly.
You will almost always be in the Smethwick End, behind the south goal. In league matches the stand is split. Home supporters take the west side; away fans are given the east side, towards the East Stand and Millennium Corner, typically around 2,500 seats and sometimes more for bigger followings. Cup ties can see the whole end handed over. Views are unobstructed and the stand is steep enough to feel involved. Leg room is tighter than in some newer bowls, especially if you are tall, so arrive early and claim your row without fuss.
The north goal sits in front of the Birmingham Road End, known to Baggies as the Brummie Road. That is the traditional home end and the source of much of the old Albion roar. Along the west touchline is the smaller West Stand on Halfords Lane, which holds the television cameras, press box, family seating and the tunnel. Players and dugouts are on that side. Opposite, the larger East Stand (opened in 2001) houses the club shop, ticket office, hospitality and offices. Corners are filled: Woodman Corner joins the Brummie Road to the East Stand; Millennium Corner sits by the away section.
Getting there is straightforward. The Hawthorns rail and Midland Metro stop is about a five-minute walk. By car, Junction 1 of the M5 is only a few hundred metres away, but matchday parking around the ground is limited and often pre-booked. Away coaches are usually directed towards the Smethwick / Middlemore Road side so you can walk straight to the away turnstiles. The accessible entrance for visiting supporters is also in the Smethwick End; wheelchair spaces sit at the front of the end stands. Turnstiles generally open around 90 minutes before kick-off.
Do not wander into home sections. Stewards will move you if you are identified in the wrong area, and away colours are not welcome in hospitality or family blocks. The Smethwick End has its own concourse, kiosks and toilets. Food is the usual British ground mix: pies, pasties, burgers, hot dogs and a Bovril if the weather is doing its Black Country impression. Cashless tills are common, so have a card ready. Smoking areas, if used, are outside at half-time rather than on the concourse.
Pubs near the ground vary. Some welcome mixed crowds; others are firmly home. If you want a quieter pint, stay closer to Birmingham or the Jewellery Quarter on the train in, then walk the last stretch. The Fan Zone on Halfords Lane is ticket-holders only and leans home. After the match the M5 and the station both clog quickly, so give yourself time rather than sprinting for the first train.
The Hawthorns is not a sleek modern bowl. The stands do not match, the West Stand is lower than the East, and the ground still feels like a traditional English football ground that has been rebuilt in pieces. That is its charm. Sit behind the south goal, keep your colours in the allocated blocks, and you will get a fair view, a loud home end opposite you, and a proper Black Country Saturday. Check your club’s ticket notes before you travel, because allocations and safe-standing rows in the upper Smethwick End can change from season to season.