My memories are fading, but i don't remember the Albion fans being too disrespectful
I remember from MOTD that amid all the anger and aggression Jimmy Hill pointed out that Brian Little laid a conciliatory arm on Brown's shoulder after the tackle.
Maybe the players, Brown included, were under instruction from the manager to get stuck in from the off it appeared that way on the day. Not to break legs obviously but to take players out of the game. I don't honestly think it was Brown's intention to break Cropley's leg even though his recklessness resulted in it. That's not exonerating him in any way but he's not the one entirely to blame. The manager of the time is equally as culpable. Who was the Albion manager at the time? I wonder how he felt about this incident, has he ever said?