New look for West Brom ground The Hawthorns

May 29 2009 by Chris Lepkowski

THE Hawthorns will lose two of its most iconic images this summer - with West Brom's Birmingham Road Stand and Smethwick End stands set to undergo a facelift.

Albion's stadium has been lauded by critics for the unique images created through its blue and white seating in the stands behind each goal.

The Smethwick End, re-opened as an all-seater stand back in 1993, had an italic 'Albion' signature-style lettering created through the arrangement of white and blue seats, while the 'Brummie Road' had a blue and white scarf strectching across the stand with WBAFC worded underneath.

Both patterns will be replaced by navy-coloured seats, with Albion officials keen to modernise the stands and bring them in line by using the same coloured blue as used for the recently refurbished Halfords Lane stand, which underwent an overhaul last summer.

The work is part of Albion's four-year plan to bring the Hawthorns up to scratch with some of the Premier League's top stadia in terms of facilities and comfort.

Jeremy Peace said: "We will look at improving the matchday experience for supporters by improving concourses gradually over the next three or four years.

"We will go around each of the stands and try to improve the facilities.

"We will be improving the seating within the Smethwick and Birmingham Road Ends, ie we will be changing the colour so it is more uniform throughout the stadium.