Birmingham City FC - the soap opera

[rob_golf1]

Following on from a record unbeaten run, we managed a record high finish in the Premier League, 9th place. That summer we purchased high profile players in the names of; Zigic, Ben Foster to name a few. It was that exact same season, we went on to turn over our dear local rivals, Aston Villa, 2-1, in a game that sparked (no pun intended for those that saw the flares being hurled around) huge pitch invasions, and some of the ugliest scenes I've seen at St.Andrews in a long time. We reached the final anyway, and I personally, had a spectacular day out, win or lose, it was always going to be a day I remembered for a life time. Anyway, in the dying minutes of the game, Koscielny and Schezney (think I've spelt them right) combined to gift Obafemi Martins a tap in goal, to give Blues their first piece of domestic silverware, in over 40 years!! Tears of shock, more sorrows than joy, that's life as a Bluenose.....

Relegated on the last day of the season at White Hart Lane in the remaining few minutes of the season (thanks Wigan....) we were described as being the loudest set of supporters to visit Spurs ever, we stayed for what seemed a lifetime after the final whistle, belting out our club anthem; Keep Right On, and other terrace chants......

Two weeks later whilst preparing for another season in the Championship......

"Carson Yeung arrested for money laundering"
"Alex Mcleish resigns from Birmingham job"

Two days later....

"Alex Mcleish trades Blue for Claret and Blue in move to Villa Park"

Could life get much worse for a Bluenose???

We moved quickly in appointing Chris Hughton as our manager, as we prepared to embark on a season that would start incredibly early with a trip to Portugal against CD Nacional, in a Europa League qualifier. Nathan Redmond set us well onto our way with his first goal at a packed out St.Andrews, and after a 3-0 aggregate victory, we were drawn against Braga, Maribor and Club Brugge.

We eventually bowed out of the Europa League at the group stages having narrowly missed out by a point. But that night in Brugge will live long in the memory of every Bluenose all over the globe. Chris Wood poking the ball home in what was something like the 7th minute of injury time, to send 7,000 Brummies into elation. I've heard some 'Keep Right On's' in my time, but this was one hell of one!

Missing out in the play-off semi finals to Blackpool, meant another season in the Championship, and more upheaval in the summer continued as Chris Hughton left to join Norwich and a whole host of stars were moved on following Lee Clark's arrival at the club. Under a transfer embargo for some time, we just had to do what we could, and poor signings that were bought in, along with the sales of some of our top stars; Jordon Mutch, Jack Butland, Nathan Redmond, Curtis Davies, Marlon King................................

Clark to be fair to him, working with pennies, managed to keep us up, and following Paul Caddis (our only signing to cost us anything in the last two seasons, £250k) managed to jump like a salmon and nod the ball home in the 93rd minute to send Doncaster Rovers down on goal difference. Football is a cruel game! Meanwhile, Carson Yeung was sent down for 6 years in relation to his money laundering charges, but still his parent company, Birmingham International Holdings, still retain control of the club!

Last week having only won one home game in something like 389 days, we sacked Lee Clark and drafted in Malcolm Crosby, and Richard Beale as caretaker gaffers. We got a bit of a drubbing yesterday, 8-0...........

And that leaves me to sum up my points of this history...

Where are the FA when all of this has been going on?
How has a corrupt person, in the first place, managed to 'pass' the fit and proper persons test?

Right now, I'm in a bit of a state, my beloved club, who I've supported all my life (23 years) are on the brink of collapse. I can't take no more, neither can any other Bluenose I know. All we want is our club back! DELAY NO MORE!

 

[louise_a]

you are still higher in the league than Blackpool

 

[rob_golf1]

you are still higher in the league than Blackpool

Another example of poor ownership, lack of management, and a demise from the Premier League.

How many clubs does it have to happen to (Portsmouth, Leeds, Coventry) for the Football Association to realise what is happening to our clubs!?

 

[louise_a]

All our parachute payments went into the owners pockets/other enterprises, the FA have no control over what clubs do with the money, its seems wrong and its sad but, the owners have carte blanche to spend it how they wish when there should be accountability.

BTW that playoff semi final 2nd leg at St Andrews was a cracking night!

 

[rob_golf1]

All our parachute payments went into the owners pockets/other enterprises, the FA have no control over what clubs do with the money, its seems wrong and its sad but, the owners have carte blanche to spend it how they wish when there should be accountability.

BTW that playoff semi final 2nd leg at St Andrews was a cracking night!

It was indeed. I remember the 1st leg at Bloomfield, and getting stuck on the M6. We literally got into the stand just as the game kicked off!

 

[Deleted member 18588]

23 years!!

I wish I had suffered for such a short time. It is now over 56 years ago since my dear old Dad first took me to St Andrews and sadly I have been hooked ever since and round about the time you were born I introduced my two sons to the Blues and they too became lifelong Bluenoses.

The current situation is , however, the worst I have ever known with a middling but well loved and supported club effectively stolen from those who emotionally own it, the fans.

Players and managers and even owners come and go . The only constant being us, the supporters.

Can we leave and join another club? Of course not (well not unless you are Tim Lovejoy or David Mellor).

Do the authorities care? Of course not (well not unless it upsets Sky or the sponsors).

Not only has my club been stolen from me and my fellow Bluenoses but also the soul of the game has been snatched from us all!

 

[JCW]

Bournemouth is my 2nd team , what a result 8-0 , away from home , lots of happy fans down here , PL here we come

 

[williamalex1]

Following on from a record unbeaten run, we managed a record high finish in the Premier League, 9th place. That summer we purchased high profile players in the names of; Zigic, Ben Foster to name a few. It was that exact same season, we went on to turn over our dear local rivals, Aston Villa, 2-1, in a game that sparked (no pun intended for those that saw the flares being hurled around) huge pitch invasions, and some of the ugliest scenes I've seen at St.Andrews in a long time. We reached the final anyway, and I personally, had a spectacular day out, win or lose, it was always going to be a day I remembered for a life time. Anyway, in the dying minutes of the game, Koscielny and Schezney (think I've spelt them right) combined to gift Obafemi Martins a tap in goal, to give Blues their first piece of domestic silverware, in over 40 years!! Tears of shock, more sorrows than joy, that's life as a Bluenose.....

Relegated on the last day of the season at White Hart Lane in the remaining few minutes of the season (thanks Wigan....) we were described as being the loudest set of supporters to visit Spurs ever, we stayed for what seemed a lifetime after the final whistle, belting out our club anthem; Keep Right On, and other terrace chants......

Two weeks later whilst preparing for another season in the Championship......

"Carson Yeung arrested for money laundering"
"Alex Mcleish resigns from Birmingham job"

Two days later....

"Alex Mcleish trades Blue for Claret and Blue in move to Villa Park"

Could life get much worse for a Bluenose???

We moved quickly in appointing Chris Hughton as our manager, as we prepared to embark on a season that would start incredibly early with a trip to Portugal against CD Nacional, in a Europa League qualifier. Nathan Redmond set us well onto our way with his first goal at a packed out St.Andrews, and after a 3-0 aggregate victory, we were drawn against Braga, Maribor and Club Brugge.

We eventually bowed out of the Europa League at the group stages having narrowly missed out by a point. But that night in Brugge will live long in the memory of every Bluenose all over the globe. Chris Wood poking the ball home in what was something like the 7th minute of injury time, to send 7,000 Brummies into elation. I've heard some 'Keep Right On's' in my time, but this was one hell of one!

Missing out in the play-off semi finals to Blackpool, meant another season in the Championship, and more upheaval in the summer continued as Chris Hughton left to join Norwich and a whole host of stars were moved on following Lee Clark's arrival at the club. Under a transfer embargo for some time, we just had to do what we could, and poor signings that were bought in, along with the sales of some of our top stars; Jordon Mutch, Jack Butland, Nathan Redmond, Curtis Davies, Marlon King................................

Clark to be fair to him, working with pennies, managed to keep us up, and following Paul Caddis (our only signing to cost us anything in the last two seasons, £250k) managed to jump like a salmon and nod the ball home in the 93rd minute to send Doncaster Rovers down on goal difference. Football is a cruel game! Meanwhile, Carson Yeung was sent down for 6 years in relation to his money laundering charges, but still his parent company, Birmingham International Holdings, still retain control of the club!

Last week having only won one home game in something like 389 days, we sacked Lee Clark and drafted in Malcolm Crosby, and Richard Beale as caretaker gaffers. We got a bit of a drubbing yesterday, 8-0...........

And that leaves me to sum up my points of this history...

Where are the FA when all of this has been going on?
How has a corrupt person, in the first place, managed to 'pass' the fit and proper persons test?

Right now, I'm in a bit of a state, my beloved club, who I've supported all my life (23 years) are on the brink of collapse. I can't take no more, neither can any other Bluenose I know. All we want is our club back! DELAY NO MORE!

Same at Rangers
another bluenose club, sad days.

 

[rob_golf1]

Bournemouth is my 2nd team , what a result 8-0 , away from home , lots of happy fans down here , PL here we come

I wouldn't get too excited. The Premier League is all about money, so if your team has none, then no chance! It's very tough to get their too, it took us 4 attempts in the play-offs to finally get there! When we did, we were there for four seasons, and then yo-yo'd for a bit!

 

[rob_golf1]

23 years!!

I wish I had suffered for such a short time. It is now over 56 years ago since my dear old Dad first took me to St Andrews and sadly I have been hooked ever since and round about the time you were born I introduced my two sons to the Blues and they too became lifelong Bluenoses.

The current situation is , however, the worst I have ever known with a middling but well loved and supported club effectively stolen from those who emotionally own it, the fans.

Players and managers and even owners come and go . The only constant being us, the supporters.

Can we leave and join another club? Of course not (well not unless you are Tim Lovejoy or David Mellor).

Do the authorities care? Of course not (well not unless it upsets Sky or the sponsors).

Not only has my club been stolen from me and my fellow Bluenoses but also the soul of the game has been snatched from us all!

Yesterday literally was the final straw for me. Something has to give. I know there is a discussion set up who are meeting at the Royal George on Tuesday at 7:00pm! DELAY NO MORE!

 

[richy]

How did you find Clark as a manager?

 

[Deleted member 18588]

How did you find Clark as a manager?

Do you mean Tombola Man?

Put all the players numbers in a bowl and then draw them out in a random order regardless of positions. Blackburn at home last season we had six of the back four and midfield playing out of position and found ourselves 4-0 down at halftime.

Afterwards he did have the guts to admit to his mistake but it was a bit late by then.

 

[rob_golf1]

How did you find Clark as a manager?

Personally, I think Clark did the best he could with that team. He provided us with a fine moment up at the Reebok in May. It was an emotional match and credit to him, you could tell it meant loads to him by keeping us up! His celebration showed us the emotion that guy had for our club! I was a bit gutted to see him go in all honesty. Not even Houdini could do things with that setup at the present time.

I fear for Clark's career. I don't think he will get a job at this level for a while, and the longer your out of this game, the longer it takes to get back into it!

 

[Deleted member 18588]

Same at Rangers
another bluenose club, sad days.

Yes I have watched the situation at Ibrox.

Yet another case of chancers trying to make their name (and fortune) off the back of fans who put their hard earned cash into supporting the club they love.

Certainly we now enjoy better facilities at the grounds and see, or have seen , better players at our clubs but at what price?

The game as a whole has been ripped from those to whom it means most and the authorities do sweet FA about it.

 

[Deleted member 18588]

Personally, I think Clark did the best he could with that team. He provided us with a fine moment up at the Reebok in May. It was an emotional match and credit to him, you could tell it meant loads to him by keeping us up! His celebration showed us the emotion that guy had for our club! I was a bit gutted to see him go in all honesty. Not even Houdini could do things with that setup at the present time.

I fear for Clark's career. I don't think he will get a job at this level for a while, and the longer your out of this game, the longer it takes to get back into it!

I would not question either his spirit or commitment but his selections and tactics were very often baffling. Also far too loyal to certain players such as Elliott, Caddis and worst of all Robinson, for whom this is two seasons too far.

 

[rob_golf1]

I would not question either his spirit or commitment but his selections and tactics were very often baffling. Also far too loyal to certain players such as Elliott, Caddis and worst of all Robinson, for whom this is two seasons too far.

Quite agree with the Caddis and Robbo favouritism? (not sure if that's the correct word). Funny enough, both have were club captain and vice last season! Caddis has played most of his Blues career as a centre mid, not sure what the likes of Callum Reilly, have to do, to get in the team! His team selections often left me riddled. I seem to remember him starting Reilly at left back at the start of the game with Bolton, and then he brought Mitch Hancox on at the interval.

A long way back for the might BCFC at the moment, but its been done before. Fair to say it was from circumstances not as bad as these, but as we often sing; KEEP RIGHT ON TO THE END OF THE ROAD................

 

[williamalex1]

Quite agree with the Caddis and Robbo favouritism? (not sure if that's the correct word). Funny enough, both have were club captain and vice last season! Caddis has played most of his Blues career as a centre mid, not sure what the likes of Callum Reilly, have to do, to get in the team! His team selections often left me riddled. I seem to remember him starting Reilly at left back at the start of the game with Bolton, and then he brought Mitch Hancox on at the interval.

A long way back for the might BCFC at the moment, but its been done before. Fair to say it was from circumstances not as bad as these, but as we often sing; KEEP RIGHT ON TO THE END OF THE ROAD................

Scottish connection Sir Harry Lauder.:thup:

 

[Deleted member 18588]

Scottish connection Sir Harry Lauder.:thup:

The song was introduced to the club by a Scotsman, Alex Govan, in 1956. He was the left winger in the team that got to the Cup Final without ever playing at home.

Initially the song was sung by the players whilst travelling but was soon picked up by the fans and has stuck to this day.

Believe me, at times, it seems like a very, very long road.

 

[rob_golf1]

The song was introduced to the club by a Scotsman, Alex Govan, in 1956. He was the left winger in the team that got to the Cup Final without ever playing at home.

Initially the song was sung by the players whilst travelling but was soon picked up by the fans and has stuck to this day.

Believe me, at times, it seems like a very, very long road.

They'll be joys and sorrows too....


MORE BLOODY SORROWS THAN JOY!

 

[louise_a]

latest news on Blackpool this morning are suggesting Jose Riga is going, the poor bloke has had no backing from the chairman, and Lee Clark will be replacing him. If true at least he is used to working on a shoestring.