West Brom's Marc Albrighton admits Blues feeling as Aston Villa fan and predicts reception
Albion winger Marc Albrighton knows he could be in for a hostile welcome from Blues tomorrow night having grown up an ardent Villa fan.
On-loan Leicester star Albrighton, 33, is set to make just his second Baggies appearance against Villa's bitter city rivals and the experienced wideman knows he could be in for a less than friendly reception.
Albrighton shone on his Albion debut against Coventry last week, with a lively hour.
The Tamworth-born Foxes Premier League title winner is from a family of Villa fans and joined the club's academy aged eight. He recalled derbies, including an infamous defeat featuring a howler from goalkeeper Peter Enckelman amid a six-match winless Villa run against Blues between 2002 and 2005.
"I'm sure I'll get a rapturous applause!" Albrighton smiled on tomorrow's trip to St Andrew's.
"There is a lot of Villa fans (in my family).
"I've never really had a Villa – West Brom rivalry. My...grievances has always been with Birmingham City, that's how I was brought up.
"I remember games when I was at school, when Blues first came back up to the Premier League, the Enckelman era, they are the days that gave me that grievance towards Birmingham City.
"In terms of the West Brom thing, I don't see any rivalry there."
Albrighton lived the dream with his boyhood club. From a Premier League debut in August 2009 he went on to feature 101 times in all competitions.
He featured just once in a derby against Blues, a 1-1 St Andrew's draw in January 2011.
His move to the east Midlands and Leicester, in 2014, coincided with the Foxes' greatest era and the winger was a big part of the unforgettable Premier League triumph under Claudio Ranieri. Albrighton also claimed an FA Cup and Community Shield medal and made 24 appearances in European competition.
The Midlands-based winger is no stranger to local rivalries and predicts an intense evening in the second city tomorrow.
"Yeah, these are games that are going to be intense – you need to work in every single game to get points," he added.
"But with Midlands rivalries there is going to be more on these.
"I've played in derbies before and it's just so much more passionate in terms of the fans and environment you're in.
"They are games I'm looking forward to and good ones for me to start."
