Albion players pay tribute to club chief John Silk
Baggies players and supporters held a minute's applause before their match yesterday to honour club president and former chairman John Silk.
Tributes have been paid to Mr Silk who died on New Year's Eve following a short illness aged 89.
The tribute was held before the match against Newcastle yesterday and flags at the Hawthorns ground were also lowered to half mast.
Mr Silk, who founded law firm Silks Solicitors in 1953, was appointed as a director in 1984 before serving as chairman between 1988 and 1992. He succeeded Sir Bert Millichip as Club President in 2003.
He also ran engineering firms Hampson Industries and Hill & Smith after the death of brother Tom and his wife in a plane crash in 1980.
Nephew Graham Hampson-Silk said:?"After my mum and dad died he kept everything together to run the companies and look after me and my brother. I have had so many calls and texts and the words 'honourable' and 'true gentleman' keep being used." Mr Silk, who is survived by wife Jean and children Karen and Mark, followed his brother onto the board of Albion.
A tribute from West Bromwich Albion and written by publications editor Dave Bowler, said his death was the 'end of an era'. He said:?"John's elevation to the role of chairman came with Albion at a low ebb. It was his job to try to bring stability to what were tumultuous times."
He added: "John stepped down as chairman at the end of the 1991/92 campaign and was replaced by Trevor Summers.
"He left the club in a healthier financial state than when he was appointed chairman, allowing it to continue through the 90s before flourishing into the Barclays Premier League club it has since become."
