Alan Young was one of those traditional forwards in a Michael Robinson, Mick Ferguson, even Glenn Murray sort of way, happy to get physical and mix it up with defenders.
Pre-season training was a bit different back then - partying and getting wasted might have been good for team bonding and morale. Reading that I thought 'it wouldn't be tolerated these days' but on the other hand Albion players haven't exactly been squeaky clean off duty in the last couple of years. Ahem.
One or two of those Albion fans in those pics look vaguely familiar, they've aged a bit since then.
Continuity alert. The last paragraph mentions Joe Corrigan. Now the Real Madrid game was in August 1983, but big Joe didn't sign for the club until September 1983.
Debut against Carlisle 17th September I seem to remember.