Wolves can add to the Doc's worries
By Ray Matts
Albion were the last Midland club to win the FA Cup, in 1968, and they are currently 50-1 shots to capture the most coveted league knock-out trophy in the world.
And that just about sums up the present state of football in the region, although Wolves (25-1) and Coventry (20-1) are shorter-priced candidates, the bookies are able to be pretty generous in their assessment of a Midland triumph.
In all honesty, who can blame them? Clubs from this part of the country have little but a fine reputation in sudden death soccer going for them.
Wolves, Albion, Villa, Derby, Nottingham Forest and Notts County have all held the trophy since it was first played for in 1871-72, but on 1972-73 league form can any hope to do so again this year?
On paper we will do well to have five representatives going into the hat for the fourth-round draw on monday.
The Black Country twosome, Wolves and Albion, are among our brightest hopes. The Molineux men, with the home advantage against bottom of the table Manchester United, should shrug off last week's defeat by Southampton to give Tommy Docherty something else to worry about.
They're in the cup-tie groove, having reached the semi-finals of the League competition and United, still fighting to put some glitter into their tarnished image, are so vulnerable.
At the Hawthorns, Albion have the potential to beat Second Division Nottingham Forest, despite their indifferent league form and as this competition is the only avenue left to compensate fans for their recent failures, I expect them to go all out for the success - and succeed.
It's a different story for Villa at Goodison Park, the graveyard of so many cup hopes. everton will, I fear, be too strong for Vic Crow's fighters who must hope for a draw at best.
Birmingham, away to Second Division Swindon, would gladly settle for the chance to bring the Wiltshire side back to St Andrews - yet if 12-goal Bob Latchford hits form it may not be necessary.
But Stoke have a really tough task on their hands at Maine Road, where they face one of the favourites, Manchester City, and I predict they will be third round casualties along with Third Division Port Vale, despite the home advantage over West Ham.
League champions Derby begin their cup campaign at Fourth Division Peterborough, Leicester face Arsenal at Highbury, Coventry meet Orient at Brisbane Road and Notts County are at home to Sunderland.
My Midland forecast for the fourth round? Wolves, Albion, Coventry, Blues and Derby.
But the eventual cup final combatants will come from outside the Midlands. Another North v South battle is on the cards, with Leeds or Liverpool against either Spurs or Arsenal.
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