Derby-day defeat stings as Morrison’s Albion slip out of the top eight
Sunday 11 October 2026 · By Rhys Morgan
There are few worse ways to lose than at home to your neighbours, and West Bromwich Albion supporters left The Hawthorns on Saturday nursing exactly that kind of pain. August Priske’s 41st-minute penalty gave Birmingham City a 1–0 win in the Midlands derby, and with it went Albion’s place in the play-offs.
The decisive moment came just before half-time. Nat Phillips was penalised for a challenge in the area, and Priske stepped up to send his penalty home. James Morrison was not convinced by the decision, disputing the contact afterwards, and he also questioned his own side’s intensity on an afternoon when they never quite found their rhythm.
To his credit, the Albion boss backed Phillips to bounce back. Morrison said the defender “will recover” and described him as a strong character – exactly the kind of public support a player needs after a difficult day.
The result means back-to-back league defeats for Albion, and their form now reads DWWDLL. They have 14 points from nine games and drop to ninth, out of the top eight on goal difference. That is the harsh reality of this Championship season: there are currently six teams on 14 points between fifth and tenth, so one bad weekend can cost you several places.
The flip side, of course, is that one good result can lift you straight back up. Albion have only conceded nine goals in nine games, which is one of the better defensive records in the division. The issue has been at the other end, with just ten goals scored. Turning solid performances into wins will depend on finding a little more cutting edge in the final third.
The good news is that there is no time to dwell on it. Albion travel to Wrexham on Tuesday night (13 October), where Phil Parkinson’s side are dealing with an injury crisis of their own after losing Josh Windass during their draw at Derby. Wrexham still showed plenty of fight to earn a late point at Pride Park, so it will be a demanding evening.
Then Blackburn come to The Hawthorns on Saturday 17 October. Tony Mowbray’s side have won their last two home games and Andri Gudjohnsen is among the goals, so Albion will need to be sharper than they were against Blues. After that, they head to bottom side Preston on Saturday 24 October before a tough trip to West Ham on Saturday 31 October.
That run gives Albion a real chance to respond. Get points on the board at Wrexham and against Blackburn, and the derby defeat will soon feel like a blip rather than the start of a slide.
For now, though, it hurts. Losing a derby always does, especially when the decisive goal comes from a decision you feel should not have been given. Morrison will want a reaction on Tuesday night, and the supporters who make the trip to north Wales will expect nothing less.
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.