'Bloody Southerners' book launch popular with Albion fans

Written by Spencer Vignes, the book looks back on the time when Brian Clough and Peter Taylor were in charge at the Goldstone and examines the story behind their time at the club.

This includes a look at possibly the worst week in the club's history, when a 4-0 home defeat to non-league Walton & Hersham in the FA Cup, was followed just three days later by another drubbing, also at home, 8-2 against Bristol Rovers.

Players from that team were there, including Andy Rollings, Ian Goodwin, Peter O'Sullivan, Gary Williams, Lammie Robertson and Tony Towner. They answered fans' questions as well as signed copies of the book.

Rollings was given his debut by Clough and described him as a man with "incredible charisma - a class act, although many didn't see eye to eye with him".

Author Spencer Vignes paid tribute to the help given to him by the players. "The book has been in the pipeline for two years and was only going to work with the co-operation from the players involved".

He went on to say "Clough's story has been done to death, but not his time at Albion. At the time, he was the most famous manager in the country - why would he have come to a team mid-table in the third division?"

Clough left after just eight months in charge but Taylor stayed on for longer, bringing in players such as Peter Ward to the club.

'Bloody Southerners' by Spencer Vignes is available now, priced £12.99. To buy a copy, go to www.bitebackpublishing.com/books

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