National Trust: Superstitious fans say Attingham Park trip 'helped Baggies'

Bill Skidmore and his daughter Penny Watton visited the property after hours for their lucky ritual

The National Trust has been credited with helping West Bromwich Albion's promotion to the Premier League after allowing a superstitious family to visit a property after hours.

Bill Skidmore's late wife, Anne, was a Baggies fan but could not watch big away games for fear they would lose.

For 20 years, the couple would visit Attingham Park in Shropshire on match days, convinced it helped the club win.

On Wednesday, the park opened for Mr Skidmore to continue the tradition.

Mr Skidmore's wife once did not talk to him for a week after he "caused" her club to lose by listening to the final minutes on the radio

Mr Skidmore, 89, remembered how his wife did not have the nerves to keep up with games she could not attend in person and had come to him on the day the Albion took on Charlton Athletic in the final match of the EFL in 2000.

"She said: 'It's a big day at the Albion today - I'm not going'," Mr Skidmore said. "She'd decided we would go out for the day and we chose to go to Attingham Park.

"We walked and walked until 5 o'clock when we got back in the car and switched the radio on - they'd got the result they needed."

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Attingham Park, near Atcham in Shropshire, has a country house dating back to 1785

Mrs Skidmore died five years ago, but as her beloved club fought for promotion her husband felt he needed to do "everything he could for her" and called up the property asking to visit.

The phone was answered by Nick Harris, who arranged an after-hours visit for Mr Skidmore and his daughter, Penny Watton, "to use the power of their Attingham good luck charm".

"I couldn't believe what they did for him, it was amazing," Mrs Watton said.

West Bromwich Albion fans celebrated as they were promoted to the Premier League on Wednesday

The family believe the kindness of staff at the National Trust is "the reason The Baggies will be playing in the Premiership next season" after a draw with QPR and Brentford losing to Barnsley secured their place in the top flight.