I make no bones about the fact that I loathe the club although I can't quite put my finger on exactly why. In part it was down to Trevor Francis. I never liked the guy as a player and once he became a manager and then a commentator, I detested him - because of his voice and the delight he always seemed to take in knocking West Ham. That said, I wish him a full recovery from his recent heart attack.
Then it was Trevor Hockey. He was an ugly player. Ugly style. Ugly beard. Ugly name. And he went on to play for Shafting United!
And Kenny Burns. He had one of those faces that you wanted somebody else to punch. And it irritated me no end that nobody could work out if he was a forward or centre back! Scottish, ugly, nasty in a challenge.
And Curbishley, who walked out on West Ham claiming Birmingham were a bigger club. Bigger club my arse.
And their kit. That ridiculous white band down the front of their shirts. For some reason it looked even worse in black and white on The Big Match.
And then there was The Big Match. I lived in Somerset and for some bloody reason, we got the Midlands version instead of the London version some weeks on HTV - and you could bet your life it happened on the weeks when West Ham were the main game. I would settle down looking forward to watching Brooking, Bonds and Paddon and instead Gerald Sinstad's voice would announce, "Welcome to St Andrews for the crucial game between Birmingham City and..." Cue a hasty change of channels and watching shadows through an interference / poor reception snow storm on Westward TV...providing they weren't showing Plymouth v Bristol Rovers!
But despite it all, I can't help feeling sorry for Birmingham. Not only have they missed out on a big day at Wembley, Villa have escaped relegation by the skin of their teeth! If we go up, I hope Hughton stays and completes the job next season by lifting the cub back into the Prem. Hughton seems a rare breed in football - a thoroughly decent guy - and because of him I have learnt to stomach Birmingham City to the point where, providing they are not rivals, I can wish them well!
You are so wrong. Blues fans have not had a miserable week at all; Our team were given a standing ovation off the St Andrews pitch on Wednesday after a season not just the match on the night when the players gave absolutely everything they had and more. OK it wasn't quite enough to reach Wembley against a good Blackpool side but a combination of exhaustion after too many games, injuries to key players and lack of a bit of good fortune when it matters most meant it was the Seasiders and not us who will contest the play off final against West Ham next Saturday. Do not underestimate them because if you do you will pay with another season like us in the Championship. Check out my report on the game: http://www.joysandsorrows.co.uk/2012/05/view-from-the-south-birmingham-city-vs-blackpool-2/
ReplyDeleteMost Blues fans are proud as punch of our club and we look forward to next season if the one we have all thoroughly enjoyed is anything to go by. We are far from miserable I can assure you.
Good on you. My head would be in the electric oven if we had bombed out in the semifinal. Have a good summer!
ReplyDeleteThanks Hammersfan. Despite your opinions of our beloved club, I found your post tastefully written - bordering on gracious - and in this day and age this is sadly rare in football.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous Blue above, rest assured I'm a fellow fan (for...quick count....34 years now) and I appreciated the points you made.
I have to say that, for me, it's been a miserable week. I'm indeed proud as punch of the club, and I cannot say enough good things about the lads. Chris H is simply beyond compare. But I'm devastated to have failed at the final hurdle after all the work put in over the season and find it tragic that we couldn't round of our legendary effort over the past year with a more robust performance. Understandable but tragic nonetheless. I only hope we are left strong enough at the start of the next season that we can put it all behind us and look towards 2014.
Of course, that said, we will keep the faith as always.
Just wanted to thank Hammersfan for his note. For the record, I have a similar dislike for his team, since our former masters joined them. But i can just about bring myself to wish him a good summer too. :-)
Ian Holloway was left numb at the end of the game friday,he said he has never seen a team come back from the dead so ferociously as did Birmingham who very nearly nicked it. West Ham must be breathing a sigh of relief Birmingham are not their opponents in the final.
ReplyDeleteYou sir are a twat
ReplyDeleteIn spite of apparent financial deep water and the Prem shores still a distance away, we are very buoyant and have our blue noses out of the water. It may seem strange to you but, considering the situation I don't think there has ever been a more positive set of fans that are proud of their club and this season of incredible success, While other clubs and their fans have unreasonable expectations it seems our mood is the satisfaction that promotion this season could have been too soon. There are still issues to resolve over the summer, but we are optimistic for the new season and development of the team.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.tangerinedreaming.com/ this is how to write a decent blog
ReplyDeleteHave to agree with the first poster, we've had a great season all things considered and we are proud of our team.
ReplyDeleteNot miserable at all, the best team won, simple as.
Looking forward to the final, should be a cracker!!
Strangely I like this blog. As a Blues fan all the players you hate I love, but we all have an irrational hatred of some teams but kind of have a grudging respect too.Fair play.
ReplyDeleteCheers guys.
ReplyDeleteFar from this week being a miserable, miserable as suggested, it is actually the opposite. For most Blues fans the season has exceeded expectations by a long way. After relegation, 15 + of the squad leaving, then the manager jumping ship to go to Aston, nobody expected anything at all from this season.
ReplyDeleteThe team have played a lot of games, gave the fans a treat of watching European football and winning away in difficult places, a good FA cup run ( only knocked out by the eventual winners) and a finishing fourth in the Championship.
Not quite good enough to get to the play off final but excellent when you consider the upheaval at the end of last season, plus the problems related to the owner who is awaiting trial for money laundering.
Most of the crowd stayed after the final whistle on Wednesday in the rain to applaud the team and the manager for their efforts this season. Proud of the team.
At the start of the season we feared the worst and another relegation was a distinct posibility.But to have finished in the play offs and have some great nights in europe then we are proud of whar Chris hughton has achieved.Not to say we're not dissappointed to go out to Blackpool but over the 2 legs we weren't at our best and they deserved to win so good luck to them.Hopefully you'll be playing us again next season and you'll see your owners for what they truely are.
ReplyDeleteI too am so prouud of the players and management of BCFC.I didn't expect to have such a good season after what happened in the summer.10 points in europe would normally get you into the ko stages.One league defeat at home and playing good football that i've enjoyed watching.Hopefully with the promised investment coming,we may succeed in getting promoted next season.
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