BIRMINGHAM CITY v LIVERPOOL
May 2004

I owe a great debt to Roy Smiljanic pictured left, and whose job I seriously want when he moves up cuz I'm a photographer mesen loike. Thanks Roy! Click on Roy's name to buy Blues images directly from Roy.

So, after picking up a vehicle at Heathrow, buzzing up the M40, meeting Puds again for the first time in 38 years and showering at his castle in Hodge Hill, Boz, Puds and I took off for the Ibis. Had me some lunch there and met the likes of Panj/Stret, Keith Wrighton, Bluebelle, Bluebird, Blue Shaft, Lobster, Cardiffdance and others, and headed over to St. Andys for a photo session.

It was about 2 hours prior to kick-off, and Iceblue was there John Smullen and a Finnish contingent so he and I posed with Beau Le Brummie. Among the images in this first montage below are 'Taz' the official Blues Muse photographer when my camera isn't 5,500 miles away, Puds arriving with his date, 'Mikki the Finn' Forssell and fans, plus my favourite shot among these the Finn gentleman with the two W.P.C.'s . . .

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They say sport is about the fans, well here are a few plus Blues' England international Darren Carter and Beau Brummie. Cisse was signing autographs at the back of the ye olde Maine Stande when we left after the stadium, and it took me back to when I collected autographs on the same spot 40 years previously and got these. Puds took the picture with me in it obviously, and let's face it I always look as if I've flown 5,500 miles with just 3 hours sleep. Boz, Cardiffdance, Bluebelle, JanetInTamworth and hubby Brian, Puds, and Keith Wrighton and family are also lurking in this lot . . .

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And so the 'warriors' emerged from the tunnel, and I was particularly taken by the young boy that Cunningham is guiding onto the field, as I hope to see my boys running out at St. Andrews one day. Among the other shots are . . .

• Tebily is giving me a bit of a look even though I'm sure I don't owe him any money

• Steve Bruce gets down to business and already knows that Emile Heskey is heading to us in a few weeks

• Puds points a camera at yours truly, and is wise not to include me mush

• and the 5th member of 'The Whoooooo', Keith Laurent, gets to work . . . 

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So, the game we ahem, lost, gets under way with Blues below par, though Liverpool rarely reached the heights that season as they did that day. Somewhere in the middle of this lot is that Heskey fella taking a shot. I think we should sign him up . . . 

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Some goalmouth and midfield action featuring that man Heskey, Tebily, Mr. O'Cunningham and the flying Aussie, Stan the man . . .

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At half-time it's presentation time with a stern Maik Taylor doing the honours this time. There is also . . . 

• A candid with Roy and another photographer, grabbed in a hurry so it ain't sharp. Oops!

• Some tall geezer who Puds said was Kevin Francis, but I don't think he looks like Trevor at all. My explanation is that being in the States I lost touch with da Blues between 1990 and 1997. All I had was a short wave radio and why you hear at 4:20 every Saturday, "We now welcome World Service listeners"

• Keith, Maik, a Mother and son and Bob Matthews who is in Admin at the Club . . .

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One of my favourite groups of pictures follows, and includes . . . 

• Emile one last time. Good in the air ain't he.

• One of Brian Hughes' last kicks for da Blues

• Clemence looking for an open man. Dose dere feet appear on the site header

• Morrison beating his man on the right to get in a good cross

• The flying Finn about to pull the trigger. No goals for us that day though . . .

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• Laza got a bit close to me big lens so I had zoom back. I'm expecting a mural-sized order of that one from Ray in Adelaide any day now

• Owen trying to deceive 3 Birmingham players

• The spectacular wide shot of St. Andrews from Puds' old seat in the the Main Stand. Tripped over a few blankets up there I did . . .

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"And so the end is near" . . . 

• As it was the last home game of the season the Blue Boys did a lap of honour

• Puds weeps for not being asked to substitute Forssell during the game

• Puds [again] gives Stevie B. some unwanted advice

• Bennett and Savage with their darling kids. I was just about to ask Savs if he spoke Welsh and he ran off

• . . . and finally, after jockeying for a square foot in the The Crown where I met Macca and Charlie Jones etcetera, it was time for supper-poos at a Balti house in Washwood Heath joined by NotsodeadlyEllis . . .

 
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