On this day: Don Howe asks for West Brom exit

On July 1, the Express & Star reported the saga that threatened Howe's departure under a cloud from the Hawthorns, writes Craig Birch.

The defender had already been with Albion man and boy for 11 years, despite being born and raised in the Springfield area of Wolverhampton.

A teenage Howe was initially part of the club's ground staff after leaving school, before being assigned to the youth squad from December 1950.

He turned professional two years later, but had to wait another three seasons to make his first-team debut. He made his bow against Everton in 1955.

Making the right-back spot his own for club and country, he went on to make 342 appearances for the Baggies, scoring 17 goals in the process.

He became a regular for England, too, winning 23 caps and going to Sweden for the 1958 World Cup. By 1963, he was a sought-after player.

The month of July began with him out-of-contract, along with six other players. They instead penned temporary terms, which lasted until August.

Two years before, Jimmy Hill's long campaign as chairman of the Professional Footballers Association to have the £20 maximum wage scrapped bore fruit.

Hill's Fulham team-mate Johnny Haynes subsequently became the league's first £100-a-week player and it opened the floodgates for others to call the shots.

Howe was one of them and was less-than-pleased at his £15 weekly pay. He told the Express & Star that he was "determined to leave" the club in response.

His written transfer request had already been lodged with manager Jimmy Hagan and chairman Jim Gaunt and he was hopeful suitors would soon come forward.

He said: "There is little chance of me staying at Albion now. I feel that a move is the only thing left for me. I just want to get away from here.

"I am bitterly disappointed with the way this affair has been handled. I think I can fit into another First Division side - and I don't care which."

Howe was not the only one unhappy. Alec Jackson and Graham Williams also wanted out. Max Murray, Stan Jones, Clive Clarke and Ron Bradley had yet to decide.

Only Williams got his wish that summer and left the professional game altogether, after 17 years with his one club, to join non-league Weymouth as player-manager.

Albion's stern refusal to give Howe a pay rise went on, though, and he eventually cut his ties in the following season, with Wolves hero Billy Wright signing him for Arsenal.

He would later return as manager, though, and was in charge from 1971 to 1975. The club were relegated during this time. Howe died, aged 80, just before Christmas last year.