Explore every episode of the podcast The Throstle Club

Paddy Mulligan is the guest of Norman Bartlam and Bob Downing on the May 2026 edition of The Throstle Club.

The Throstle Club is a programme produced by Black Country Radio Xtra and presented by Norman Bartlam and Bob Downing. It is a monthly programme which looks back on the long and proud history of West Bromwich Albion featuring interviews with former players and reminiscences from supporters of the club.

Our studio guests are well known Albion fans: Dave Knott and Ian Ward.

The Throstle Club is a programme produced by Black Country Radio Xtra and presented by Norman Bartlam and Bob Downing. It is a monthly programme which looks back on the long and proud history of West Bromwich Albion featuring interviews with former players and reminiscences from supporters of the club.

Our studio guests are well known former Albion players Ally Roberston and Joe Mayo.

The Throstle Club is a programme produced by Black Country Radio Xtra and presented by Norman Bartlam and Bob Downing. It is a monthly programme which looks back on the long and proud history of West Bromwich Albion featuring interviews with former players and reminiscences from supporters of the club.

Our studio guests are well known former Albion player Andy Johnson and Gurdial Singh of the Albion Foundation. February 2026.

The Throstle Club is a programme produced by Black Country Radio Xtra and presented by Norman Bartlam and Bob Downing. It is a monthly programme which looks back on the long and proud history of West Bromwich Albion featuring interviews with former players and reminiscences from supporters of the club.

The January 2026 episode features former Walsall and West Bromwich Albion (1956-1973) player Stan Jones and Geoff Snape of the WBA Former Players' Association. 

The Throstle Club is a programme produced by Black Country Radio Xtra and presented by Norman Bartlam and Bob Downing. It is a monthly programme which looks back on the long and proud history of West Bromwich Albion featuring interviews with former players and reminiscences from supporters of the club.

The December 2025 episode with Norman Bartlam, Bob Downing and Billy Spakemon.

The Throstle Club is a programme produced by Black Country Radio Xtra and presented by Norman Bartlam and Bob Downing. It is a monthly programme which looks back on the long and proud history of West Bromwich Albion featuring interviews with former players and reminiscences from supporters of the club.

The Albion Shilling Fund. How local newspapers organized a fund to safeguard the future of West Bromwich Albion in 1905.

Herville Hector, a former well-known referee in the West Midlands, is our guest on this edition of the programme. November 2025.
The Throstle Club is a programme produced by Black Country Radio Xtra and presented by Norman Bartlam and Bob Downing. It is a monthly programme which looks back on the long and proud history of West Bromwich Albion featuring interviews with former players and reminiscences of supporters of the club. After broadcast it is made available on podcast providers. 

Our studio guest is well known BBC Radio WM commentator/ reporter Steve Hermon who talks to Norman Bartlam and Bob Downing. October 2025.

Happy 125th Anniversary to The Hawthorns!

Albion's official historian Dave Bowler talks about the history of The Hawthorns and Steve Carr chats about Albion's previous homes.
The Throstle Club is a programme produced by Black Country Radio Xtra and presented by Norman Bartlam and Bob Downing. It is a monthly programme which looks back on the long and proud history of West Bromwich Albion featuring interviews with former players and reminiscences of supporters of the club. After broadcast it is made available on podcast providers. 

Nick Owen, of BBC Midlands Today, looks back to his days of covering West Bromwich Albion for BBC Radio Birmingham, and talks about the exciting football he has commentated on over the years - and occasionally also mentions Luton Town! 
The Throstle Club is a programme produced by Black Country Radio Xtra and presented by Norman Bartlam and Bob Downing. It is a monthly programme which looks back on the long and proud history of West Bromwich Albion featuring interviews with former players and reminiscences of supporters of the club. After broadcast it is made available on podcast providers.

Our guests are Dawn and Larraine Astle.

Dawn talks about her MBE and the Jeff Astle Foundation, July 2025

Today’s guests are Alan Gill and Jill Barker

The Throstle Club is a programme produced by Black Country Radio Xtra and presented by Norman Bartlam and Bob Downing. It is a monthly programme which looks back on the long and proud history of West Bromwich Albion featuring interviews with former players and reminiscences from supporters of the club.

New Albion coach Ryan Mason has a name which is an occupation, so can we come up with a team of players based on job titles?   Miller and Carter will do for starters (even though its not a restaurant chain!)

Bob Downing and guest Alan Gill discuss the appointment of Ryan Mason as Head Coach at West Bromwich Albion

Today's guest is Chris Everiss

The Throstle Club programme 25 Norman Bartlam and Bob Downing look back on events and happenings from West Bromwich Albion’s history from the month of April and reminisce about the Sports Argus.  This programme was first broadcast on Black Country Radio Xtra in April 2025. 

An all star Albion line-up selected on Grand National related puns- including  Jockey Wallace, Andy National Hunt and Pony Brown, all managed by Pepe Melling Road.

Norman Bartlam and Bob Downing look back on events and happenings from West Bromwich Albion’s history from the month of March. Our studio guest is long serving Albion fan Dave Howson.

This programme was first broadcast on Black Country Radio Xtra in March 2025.

Our studio guest is former referee Paul Rejer, from Tipton, who talks about his career. Norman Bartlam and Bob Downing look back on events and happenings from the month of January in Albion's history.  January 2025.

A pun-tastic WBA team based on beer related names. Will John Swift-Half, Barrel Burgess and Ale-stair Robertson get into our pub related line-up?

The Throstle Club is a programme produced by Black Country Radio Xtra and presented by Norman Bartlam and Bob Downing. It is a monthly broadcast which looks back on the long and proud history of West Bromwich Albion featuring interviews with former players and reminiscences from supporters of the club.  Today's  guests are Paul Roberts of the WBA Tipton Supporters' Club and Pete Hill and his mate Paul Broadhouse who have been on a rather long pub crawl! We end with a seasonal song from Billy Spakemon.

Our studio guest is long serving Albion fan and former club director Mike O'Leary. Norman Bartlam and Bob Downing look back on events and happenings from West Bromwich Albion’s history from the month of November. This programme was first broadcast on Black Country Radio Xtra in November 2024.

Our studio guest is long serving Albion fan Vaughan Williams who watched his first Albion game in 1956. Norman Bartlam and Bob Downing look back on events and happenings from West Bromwich Albion's history from the month of October. This programme was first broadcast on Black Country Radio Xtra in October 2024.

Our guest today is Mark 'Bamber' Gascoigne, a life long Albion fan and former kitman at West Bromwich Albion.

The programme is recorded at and first broadcast on Black Country Radio Xtra and is presented by Norman Bartlam and Bob Downing. It is a monthly programme which looks back on the long and proud history of West Bromwich Albion featuring interviews with former players and reminiscences from supporters of the club.

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This special programme is devoted to just one player, Graham Williams, who joined Albion 70 years ago this month, in September 1954, and went onto to be the only player in Albion's history to captain winning sides in the finals of both the FA Cup and League Cup.

Our studio guest is well known Albion fan Dean Walton, who talks about his new book about supporting Albion. Norman Bartlam and Bob Downing look back on events and happenings from the month of August in Albion’s history and a group of Albion supporters share their experiences of following England at Euro 2024.

Our studio guest is well known Albion statto Steve Carr, who talks about his new book about the first ten years of Albion. Norman Bartlam and Bob Downing look back on events and happenings from the month of July in Albion's history featuring interviews with Laraine Astle and Wayne Fereday. July 2024.

Our studio guest is well known local broadcaster, Tim Beech of BBC Radio WM and WCRfm fame, who talks about his career and love of football. 

The Throstle Club is a programme produced by Black Country Radio Xtra and presented by Norman Bartlam and Bob Downing. It is a monthly programme which looks back on the long and proud history of West Bromwich Albion featuring interviews with former players and reminiscences from supporters of the club.

This special programme celebrates the day, 70 years ago, when West Bromwich Albion won the FA Cup on 1 May 1954. Our studio guest is Geoff Barnsley who is Albion's oldest living player (89 in December ) and with him are numerous fans who remember watching the game on TV.

Our studio guest is Ali Jones of Action4Albion and we talk at length with Rob Bishop. Topics include- the Sports Argus, Don Howe and Dennis Clarke. Listen out for our regular features- This Month in History and the Quiz of the Month.

Rob Bishop talks about his career with emphasis on his time at the Sports Argus.

Former Albion man Dennis Clarke remembers Liverpool's Larry LLoyd's debut against West Bromwich Albion in September 1969. 

Our special studio guest is Steve Carr who knows more about Albion’s early history than anyone else. Alongside him is Simon Hill, a leading member of the WBA Blind football team. We also feature an extended interview with Ally Robertson and more from one of our oldest supporters Ken Lord.

Former WBA man Ally Roberston talks about his career based on a 1979 article in Shoot! magazine.

Our quick paced fun quiz about events from West Bromwich Albion's history during the month of March. Steve Carr v Bob Downing.

Programme 11 features an exclusive interview with former Baggies man Zoltan Gera and our studio guest is former Sports Argus man Rob Bishop. Also hear from Laurie Rampling on his Cyrille Regis book, and Harry Taylor on Steve Bloomer. Albion fans Rex Edwards and Ken Lord share their Albion memories.

Albion fan Rex Edwards remembers when Graham Williams became an emergency goalkeeper at Southampton in February 1968.

Laurie Rampling discusses his new book about Cyrille Regis. A longer interview will be in the February 2024 edition of The Throstle Club.

Zoltan Gera talks to Norman Bartlam about the differences between playing in Hungary and in England. A longer interview will be in the February 2024 edition of The Throstle Club. 

February 2024 | Duration 3 minutes

This episode features Albion's former Welsh international star Paul Mardon. He talks about his career at WBA and Wales. Laurie Rampling and Bob Downing discuss their FA Cup memories, we recall the 'car in the canal' incident of 60 years ago and the bad winter of 1963.

The Christmas Special December 2023 features more from Artim Sakari and Andy Hunt plus a look back to the 5-3 game at Old Trafford 1978 with Brendon Batson;  a remarkable Boxing Day in 1963 and real boxing with Bobby Gould, as told by Wayne Fereday!David Butler tells of his experiences of playing alongside Pele and Bobby Moore in USA.Also hear from fans Rex Edwards; Jim Goode, Harry Taylor, and Ken Lord who have great stories to tell.Presented by Norman Bartlam and Bob Downing.

Programme 8, December 2023 features exclusive interviews with Artim Sakari and Andy Hunt plus more from Dennis Clarke, Mickey Fudge, Lyndon Hughes and David Butler. You'll also hear from Simon Wright on Grorty Dick and fan Ken Lord remembers Davy Walsh. Presented by Norman Bartlam and Bob Downing.

Reporter Bob Downing and WBA fans Dean Walton and Tony Jones recall going to Valencia for the UEFA Cup tie in November 1978.

In November 2023 the family of former WBA player Bill Brockhurst donated a set of photographs to the Albion Foundation. Bill played five first team games in the 1936-1937 season.

Enjoy our November quiz with Sylvia and Bob and recall the stunning 4-3 win at West Ham from 20 years ago this month.

Harold Bache was a player of great potential but he joined the army at the outbreak of war and was killed in action in 1916. 

During this month of Remembrance we feature our WWI hero Harold Bache and the graveyard of West Bromwich old church which has links with WBA.

We recall trips to Fiorentina and Valencia and share in the memories of life long supporters Sylvia Collins, Ken Lord and Rex Edwards, who remember Bobby Charlton.

West Bromwich Albion fan Harry Taylor remembers the official opening of the floodlights at The Hawthorns in October 1957.

Bob Downing remembers Ian Hamilton and an interview with Ian recalling the fabulous 1992- 1993 promotion campaign.