West Bromwich Albion legend Garry Thompson
believes Brown Ideye should be as the centre
forward on Astle Day, Birmingham Mail reports.
Behind the scenes, Ideye has been immersing
himself in the history books more than most,
asking to see clips of Jeff Astle’s 1968 FA Cup
winning goal against Everton.
When Albion take on Leicester in their iconic
white shirt and shorts and red socks, three
forwards will hope to grab the nine.
Saido Berahino has a loud shout for his 18 goals
this season, Victor Anichebe might be a rank
outsider but should at least come off the bench.
Then there is ‘Bobby’ Brown who has already
worn nine 21 more times than Thompson ever did
in his three seasons in the mid-1980s.
In terms of great hulking centre forwards few
have made such an impression at The Hawthorns
over the last 30 years.
“I’m like a fine wine,” chuckles Thompson. “The
Albion fans have come to love me more as the
years have passed.”
And yet when it comes down to numbers,
Thompson says only one shirt counts when you’re
a centre-forward.
Thompson made his debut at home to Arsenal in
February 1983 wearing the number nine shirt
against Arsenal at home and he wore it again
against Luton the following week – both goalless
draws as it happens.
Then Cyrille Regis returned from injury and
Thompson switched to eight.
“The number nine shirt was massive. It was the
‘daddy’ of them all. You had to be nine. It meant
such a big thing at the time. But the manager
(Gordon Milne) gave it to Hateley and I did a bit
of a sulk, if I’m honest.
“So I went to number ten and then I realised that
Pele had been number ten for Brazil, so that
wasn’t such a bad thing. Then I was moved to
eight and then when I moved to Albion I was
handed the number nine shirt.
“Then Cyrille was back in the team so they just
threw me the eight. But I took to that straight
away as we beat Ipswich Town 4-1 and I scored
two.
Thompson says Ideye, who has worn his squad
number nine all season, should be handed the
number on Astle Day, even though it comes with
huge responsibility.
“It’s a tough shirt to wear on the day, for sure.
But Saido is never going to be a number nine in
the traditional sense. He’s always going to be
better playing off a front man.
“The fans that turn up on Saturday want a big
man in the middle to carry that shirt. Jeff Astle
was that big man, although he wasn’t just a lamp
post to be fair.
“When you think of Albion and number nines you
think of Astle and Derek Kevan – two legends
and two huge specimens.
“Ally Brown was a bit like that. He got more out
of Cyrille than I, or anybody, did probably
because he was more mobile, very intelligent and
very under-rated.”
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