History and description

On September 3, 1900, the Hawthorns opened its doors to the public with a 1-1 match between West Brom and Derby County. It only took four months to complete construction and the ground could hold 35,500 supporters. The first major refurbishment came in the 1960s, with new stands and a roof added to the stadium. West Brom initially had a lease for only fourteen years, but bought the freehold in 1913. With funds coming in from successes on the pitch, the club gradually started expanding the stadium. In 1920, new concrete terraces were built that brought capacity to 65,000. The first major refurbishment came in the 1960s, with new stands and a roof added to the stadium.

The Hawthorns recorded its highest attendance in 1937 when 64,815 people saw West Bromwich play Arsenal.

No significant improvements were made in the ensuing decades until a new East Stand was constructed in 1964. This stand soon came to be known as the "Rainbow" due to its 4,000 brightly-colored seats. Some of the old East Stand was subsequently used to build a new stand at the Birmingham Road End.

The old stand was demolished and the ground was made into a park. A new stand was built in the late 1970s at Halfords Lane. The old stand was demolished and the ground was made into a park.

After the Hillsborough disaster and subsequent Taylor report, the stadium was converted into an all-seater. This meant that two new all-seater stands were built on either end of the stadium.

The Hawthorns underwent its final change in 2001 when a new East Stand was built in its place.

The Hawthorns has been investigating the possibilities of expanding to a capacity of over 30,000, but presently they have put these plans on hold because the club's average attendance is not consistently high enough.

(photos of the present The Hawthorns below)

How to get to The Hawthorns

The Hawthorns is located in West Bromwich, a town in the north-western edge of the Birmingham urban area. The stadium lies about 1.5 miles south-east from West Bromwich High Street and 4 miles north from Birmingham's city centre. The stadium is situated half a mile from the M5 motorway junction 1 and the A41 east in direction of Birmingham City Centre. It will be quickly visible on the right side of the road.

There is ample parking available.

I walked a 5-minute walk to The Hawthorns rail station and it is served by trains and overground metro.

I can board the metro at Birmingham Snow Hill station in Birmingham's city centre. Get off at The Hawthorns after a 10-minute ride. The metro continues to West Bromwich and Wolverhampton city centres.

Trains depart from Birmingham Moor Street station and arrive at The Hawthorns after a 10-15 minute journey.

Buses 74 and 75 (from Birmingham) and 79 (from Wolverhampton) also serve the stadium. Get off at the Birmingham Road stop.

Address: Birmingham Road, West Bromwich, B71 4LF

Eat, drink, and sleep near The Hawthorns

The Hawthorns is located in an area that is mostly light industry and offices. There is little around, and while there are a few pubs at walking distance, eating and drinking in Birmingham city centre may be a better option. If you want to stay close to the stadium, the Park Inn at junction 1 of the M5 is a decent option. The 10-minute walk to The Hawthorns is only long if you are unfamiliar with the area. Otherwise, there are no hotels near the stadium.

For an overview of all hotels near The Hawthorns, please click here. Many people would be better served staying in Birmingham's city center, where it is a short journey to the stadium.

West Brom Tickets

Tickets for West Bromwich Albion games can be bought online, by phone, or at the ticket office at the stadium. If tickets are still available, they can be purchased at the stadium ticket office on the day of the match. The recent decline in attendances at West Brom matches means that most tickets will be available if bought in advance or even on the day.

West Bromwich have created three price categories for tickets to matches. Category A tickets cost £39.00 for all stands, Category B tickets cost £30.00, and Category C tickets cost £25.00.

You can find a seating plan here. If you have any questions or need more information, please email [email protected]

Relevant Internet links

The official website of West Bromwich Albion, the public transport information website Nxbus, and the train times and fares website Nationalrail are all great resources for travelers in the West Midlands. I am a finnish fan visiting Hawthorns for the first time in September 1957. In those days Hawthorns was one of the top teams in English football in competition with "wolves?" and AVilla. My following visit was in 1980 and I have visited Hawthorns for 14 times since then, the most recent visit being in May this year. Today I follow Premier league on TV. During the last few years Hawthorns has played a boring football and I think relegation is the result this year. Best regards, Goran R.

I am a Finnish football fan visiting Hawthorns for the first time in September 1957. In those days, WBA was one of the top teams in English football in competition with "wolves?" and AVilla. My following visit was in 1980 and total I have visited Hawthorns for 14 times over the last 33 years, most recently in October 2010 combined with my final business trip to Enland. Today I follow Premier League on television. During the last few years, WBA has played a boring football and I think relegation is the result this year. Best regards, Goran R.