Sporting Witness
Sporting Witness
When British Football Went To China
Up next
December 20, 2018
9 minutes
Available for over a year
A story of banquets, diplomacy and football. In 1978, first division side, West Bromwich Albion became the first professional British football club to visit communist China. The visit came as China began to open up to the West after the power struggle which followed the death of Chairman Mao. Alex Last spoke to West Brom legend, Brendon Batson, about his memories of the historic tour.
Photo: The teams head out onto the field in Beijing for West Brom's first game of the tour. (BBC)