'I'm not sure the new Wembley has heard a noise like this'

Wembley. Sunday, 27.02.11. Surreal. Totally surreal.

From the moment I arrived at Wembley Park, it wasn't just the weather that was blue. Blues owned Olympic Way, Blues owned Wembley Stadium, Blues owned the build up to the match and now Blues own the League Cup and place in European competition. Wow.

It was telling on the train into London I heard some West Ham fans chatting to some Arsenal fans and the Arsenal fans were apparently 'just going to Wembley'. No Blues fan was 'just going to Wembley'. No one associated with Birmingham City Football Club was 'just going to Wembley'.

It was clear that Arsenal only needed to turn up and the silverware was there for them to collect, apparently. The Arsenal build up involved Charlie Nicholas having a chat on the half way line (and giving praise to blues) with barely an Arsenal fan in sight. Blues let everyone in London and the rest of the country know they were there to win. 30,000 Bluenoses were left pumped to the max after the fantastic Blues rallying cry and rendition of Keep Right On. It put Arsenal to shame quite frankly. As did the Blues players, suited and booted. Arsenal turned up in tracksuits. Tracksuits for a cup final. Absolutely disgraceful, arrogant and disrespectful.

But that seems to be Arsenal these days. No doubt a great footballing side, but totally and utterly classless. Which is ironic seeing as they preach holier than thou to all and sundry.

When Zigic scored after 27 minutes the outpouring of emotion from the Blues faithful was incredible. Disbelief was my reaction more than anything. I thought seeing Blues in a cup final at Wembley was a dream, seeing Blues leading in a cup final at Wembley was something else. Totally Surreal. Having now caught up with the television coverage it is telling that Guy Mowbray the BBC commentator exclaimed 'I'm not sure the new Wembley has heard a noise like this!'

If Arsenal think they are hard done by, 5 years without a trophy, Grow Up. Hear the noise and see the reaction of the Blues fans taking the lead and maybe they'll understand that 5 years is nothing. They'll understand that to us, this means something. This means everything. I don't envy them at all.

When Robin Van Persie was taken off seemingly injured, or just not bothered to be playing in the second half, I could sense it. Whilst Roger Johnson limped, wounded, in dire need of Scott Dann's crutches but carrying on. Whilst Lee Bowyer gasped for air that seemingly had been all but used up. I could sense it. Arsenal were no longer to be feared. Foster was superb, but when is he not. Save after Save, the highlights reel will tell a different story to the day. It would look like a second Arsenal goal was coming. But it wasn't.

On comes Obafemi Martins for the excellent Keith Fahey. The Wembley Pitch is so big it was made for someone with his pace and power.

And then it happened. Totally and utterly mad. The greatest moment in Blues history, and I was taking a photo of the scene of devastation. I lowered my camera to the greatest sight my eyes have ever bear witness too. Martins, clad in bright orange boots, ball at his feet, an open goal beckoning. Boom. Totally Surreal.

The old man sitting behind me exclaimed 'this will be the longest 4 minutes of our lives'. I would happily have sat there for hours, game on pause, soaking up the moment.

Amazing.

I don't think I could have enjoyed the game any more.

Quite simply this changes everything.

Silverware, Survival, Europe, the End of the Road could be in sight.

Mes Que un Club

My supreme laziness has resulted in a severe lapse of any activity on this blog. My last post way back in November eulogized Robbie Savage's new role in the media (you haven't misread that, I really did praise him). In fact this post takes us back to the era of Robbie Savage and Birmingham City, specifically the 2002-2004 era at Blues.

This isn't a post specifically about tactics, about managers, about the board or results but a post far more profound and important. This is a post about the whole club, our football club, Birmingham City Football Club.

Now I've been a Birmingham City supporter since 1987. That's when I was born, and that's when I became a fan. Besides the vague memories of the 1994/1995 2nd Division Championship and the Auto Windscreen Shield double (and proudly wearing my blues red away Triton Showers kit to school football) my regular attendance at Blues games starts in the later 90's, around the time of the push for Premier League football. Three seasons of heartbreak preceded the amazing and absolutely surreal experience of the promotion under the roof of the Millennium Stadium.

Now remember that day? Remember the hope, the optimism, the excitement that we, as supporters of our club lived out in those amazing first two or three seasons in the Premier League. Remember the pride? Remember the atmosphere? Remember the giddiness at signing players that we had actually heard of? Remember the attendances, home and away?

Fast forward to 2011. Blues are, as I write this, one win away from a cup final appearance at Wembley. Blues are a Premier League club. Blues have, despite the lack of strike power, probably the strongest squad of footballers I have certainly had the privilege of supporting. Blues have a manger who, despite grumblings of negativity, has led us to our highest place finish in my lifetime and carries himself with professionalism and dignity we should all be proud of.

Yet despite all this, the apathy at the club couldn't be any greater. Attendances are quite simply appalling. Look at Norwich City, the team that we beat in the 2002 play off final. Look at our club and theirs. Since then Blues have spent only two seasons outside the top flight. Norwich have spent one season in the top flight, and have even dropped down into League 1. Yet their attendances are near sell out every game. They've had to put up with the embarrassment of Delia's shouting, relegations, a 7-1 defeat at home to local rivals and a stadium far older and inferior than most of St Andrews. Yet they turn up to support their club week in week out.

It is with this in mind, and the thought of seeing other clubs with nothing to shout about such as Derby County selling out week in week out that I really do not understand what has happened at Blues. I live in Cornwall, and I have a season ticket. I'm very fortunate to have a Season ticket. But I certainly put the effort in as well. I went to the University of Birmingham for 3 years purely so I could get to Blues matches more easily. I give up weekend after weekend to support Birmingham City Football Club.

I am reluctant for this to sound like I'm trying to gain some sort of moral high ground here. I am very fortunate that in these trying economic times I am still able to follow the blues as regularly as I do. This post is not highlighting whats gone wrong over the last few years at Blues, certainly a lot has. But things go wrong at other clubs too. So do we all just pack it in, stop supporting a club that is in our blood, moan and shout and boo and jeer. Or do we accept that this is part of football, and the club is only as great and proud as its supporters? There are apathetic blues fans out there who can afford to do more. For his troubles Peter Pannu is right in asking What can us fans do for our club rather than what can it do for us? It's a good mantra for life and there needs to be some major soul searching by many associated with Birmingham City Football Club. In my lifetime, we've never had it so good.

Yes David Murphy is possibly the most horrendous footballer Blues have ever had, but when he's out there playing for Blues I'll do my utmost to support him till I'm Blue in the face!

At Barcelona they say Mes Que un Club. At Birmingham City we say Keep Right On to the End of the Road.

Starting Wednesday let's make Birmingham City Football Club proud of its supporters again. Through Joys and Sorrows I'm sure we're all tired and weary but lets be part of making Birmingham City Football Club a name to be proud of.

Photo Credit: www.homesoffootball.co.uk