New campaign launched to immortalise WBA cup winning captain with 'Skipper's Gates' at The Hawthorns

Graham Williams lifted the FA and League Cup, the only Albion player ever to do so, but has not had the recognition other club legends have enjoyed.

Graham has just turned 86 and a group of WBA fans want him to see gates with his picture holding both cups erected at The Smethwick End.

Mark 'Snarka' Whitehouse, Dean Walton and Norman Bartlam have been supporting the Albion for more than 150 years between them and want their favourite captain marvel to have a permanent place at The Hawthorns.

A new book about his career and trophy laden spell with WBA is being written to generate funds for the new gates.

Mark, who recently published a book of poems about the Albion which Graham wrote the foreward to, is visiting Graham this weekend in Weymouth to help conduct the first of a series of interviews.

He told the Express & Star: "Graham Williams is a club legend who lifted both the FA and the League Cup for the Albion and deserves more recognition than he gets. He is the club's most decorated captain.

"We want to get some bespoke gates with a picture on each one of him lifting each cup. All the old players still call him Skipper, so it would be nice if they could be The Skipper's Gates at the Smethwick End."

Mark is going to Weymouth with fellow Albion fans Dean Walton and Norman Bartlam this weekend to hear Graham's tales of a footballing life.� Mark said: "Graham has become a friend now and I love spending time with him but this weekend we will be trying to get all the stories out of him. We would like to get the book out for the 70th anniversary of him signing for the Albion in September."

Graham was born in Henllan, Denbighshire. He joined West Bromwich Albion as an amateur in September 1954 and turned professional in April 1955. He captained the side to victory in the 1966 Football League Cup Final scoring in the second leg against West Ham. And then he lifted the FA Cup in 1968 at Wembley. He also won 26 caps for Wales.

After leaving Albion in 1972 he went into management taking the helm at Weymouth, Cardiff and took Finnish side RoPs to the quarter finals of the European Cup Winners' Cup.