West Bromwich Albion are called "The Baggies" mainly because, in the early 1900s at their old ground The Hawthorns, the turnstile operators would carry the takings from each match in large cloth bags. Fans would shout "here come the bag men!" as these operators walked along the touchlines, which eventually evolved into the chant "here come the Baggies!" and became the team's unofficial nickname. This origin is supported by the club's historian and is one of the most accepted explanations. There are other theories too, such as the nickname coming from the baggy shorts worn by players in the early years or from the baggy work trousers worn by local factory workers who supported the club, but the "bag men" story related to carrying matchday takings in bags is considered the primary and most credible origin of the nickname "The Baggies".
