Former Albion captain Jake Livermore says The Hawthorns is “like home” to him, after taking part in the ‘Clash of the Legends: Home Nations vs Rest of the World’ charity match at The Hawthorns.
Two teams of ex-Baggies reunited in aid of The Albion Foundation, the club’s charity partner, while celebrating the 125th-anniversary of The Hawthorns on Saturday.
The Rest of the World team came out on top with a 3-1 win, but it wasn’t the scoreline that really mattered – it was all about coming together to support the Foundation’s fantastic community work.
“It was really nice to come back, especially for such an amazing cause,” former midfielder Livermore said. “The Foundation has always had a special place in my heart here – I think it’s fantastic.
“The club has a fantastic bond with former players but it was amazing to come back here. This place is like home to me.
“It was hot out there, it was a lot of players who haven’t played in a while, or seen each other for a while. It was for an amazing cause and I think the fans enjoyed themselves, that’s the main thing.
“They were brilliant today, there are some great people out there and the fans really take to them. The boys have taken a lot of time with them, as I said, there’s a huge bond.”
“I loved it, it’s nice to come back,” Olsson said. “You always feel welcome here, and feel included.
“Obviously it was nice to see some of my ex-teammates too. There was a few [crunching tackles] more in the second half, when you get tired and you end up diving in, that’s where the slide tackles come into play.
“First half I thought we played really well, then they put Brunty and Mozza up front in the second half, and we struggled a bit. We managed to see it out though.
“I was here for almost nine years, so the majority of my career. It’s special, a really special place for me, I don’t miss football, but when you’re in the tunnel – that’s when you miss it.
“When you’re here, I really feel like something is missing when you stop playing football, that you can’t recreate somewhere else. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
“It was so nice to see everyone. I went to India with Rob [Lake, Director] that was a while ago. It’s always so well organised and good to see all the fans and the supporters buying into it too.
“They’re doing a great job and I’m happy to be a part of it.”
You can purchase match worn signed shirts from Saturday’s Clash of the Legends by clicking HERE – all proceeds raised go to The Albion Foundation.
