Three goals at Molineux. A 5-1 scoreline. And a moment that Peter Odemwingie has carried with him for more than a decade. Speaking on BBC Radio WM, the former West Brom striker revisited the Black Country derby hat-trick that remains one of the most emphatic away-day performances in Baggies history.

The match that still resonates

It was February 2012 when Odemwingie crossed Birmingham Road in the most emphatic fashion possible, planting three goals past Mick McCarthy's Wolves side in a 5-1 hammering on their own turf. The Nigerian forward described the afternoon as "a special moment," and it is easy to understand why: a hat-trick in the West Midlands derby, at Molineux, in a game that ended in a rout, is the kind of memory supporters keep alive long after careers have ended.

For fans of either club, the derby carries a weight that most second-tier fixtures cannot match. Both West Brom and Wolves sit in the Championship this season, which gives the rivalry fresh context: should the two sides be drawn against each other in the league, this broadcast serves as a vivid reminder of what is at stake whenever they share a pitch.

What made that afternoon so devastating

Odemwingie's performance that day was not simply about finishing. It was about the kind of movement that stretched McCarthy's defensive shape beyond its limits repeatedly, in a stadium where the home side expected to hold firm. The Baggies exploited the space that opened up on the flanks, and Odemwingie arrived into central areas at precisely the moments Wolves could not track him. A 5-1 scoreline in a derby is not the product of luck; it reflects a team that executed its plan without hesitation.

For West Brom supporters, it stands alongside the most celebrated away performances in the club's recent memory. Hat-tricks in derbies are rare enough. Hat-tricks in a five-goal derby dismantling at the home of your nearest rival are rarer still.

Why it matters to the clubs today

Both clubs now compete in the Championship, meaning the prospect of a renewed derby is genuine rather than hypothetical. When a fixture like this comes around again, the history weighs on every moment: the goals Odemwingie scored in 2012 are part of the story each set of supporters will bring into the stadium.

The interview also reflects how deeply supporters of both clubs invest in these contests. Reliving a historic derby result is not mere nostalgia; it tells you something about what the rivalry means to the people who follow it. For West Brom fans in particular, Odemwingie's recollection is a reminder of what a fully switched-on Baggies side can produce when the occasion demands it.

Whether the current squads will produce something comparable remains to be seen. What Odemwingie's account makes clear is that the bar, at least from a West Brom perspective, is set very high indeed.

Frequently asked

When did Peter Odemwingie score a hat-trick against Wolves?
Odemwingie scored his Black Country derby hat-trick in February 2012, as West Brom beat Wolves 5-1 at Molineux.
What was the score in the 2012 Black Country derby at Molineux?
West Brom won 5-1 away at Wolves in February 2012, with Odemwingie scoring three of the goals.
Are West Brom and Wolves in the same division this season?
Yes, both West Bromwich Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers are in the Championship this season, making a Black Country derby possible.