The top five moves made by Birmingham City in their history
Get the most recent Birmingham City news and opinions from BirminghamLive as we select the top five deals since the Premier League’s founding in 1992.
Birmingham Mail Bookmark Observations 17
Michael Forssell
Michael Forssell
Birmingham City has recently regretted leisurely spending due to impatience. A reckless purchase in 2017 resulted in the selling of St Andrew’s and a nine-point deduction for the team. With the departure of people like Neil Etheridge and Scott Hogan this month, the system has now been able to address another that occurred in 2020 and its knock-on effects.
Having so far only resulted in a relegation, it will be intriguing to watch if last summer’s transfer speculation pays out in the long run. Dion Sanderson, Lee Buchanan, and Tyler Roberts were given long contracts, while Ethan Laird and Siriki Dembele signed three-year agreements.
But the Blues have at least produced assets in the last few years, generating revenue from players like Tahith Chong, enhancing the worth of players like Juninho Bacuna, and using the loan market to their somewhat beneficial advantage. Nevertheless, the agreements that brought Oliver Burke and Emanuel Aiwu to the Blues appeared dubious from the start.
But things weren’t always this way; throughout the past 30 years, the Blues have hit a few home runs despite their whiffs, and Brian Dick has selected the five greatest. Tell us if you concur.
READ MORE: Wayne Rooney will turn off a shocking managerial comeback from Sky Sports following his dismissal from Birmingham
READ MORE: Stoke City expert on Birmingham City rival Alex Neil checks a crucial Knighthead box
Dugarry, Christophe
At a news conference at St Andrew’s in 2002, Birmingham manager Steve Bruce was joined by his newest recruit, Christophe Dugarry, a former French international.
Dugarry, Christophe (Photo by Nick Potts/PA)
God be praised. The talk has come to an end. It’s true that the French wizard’s second season fell far short of his first loan stint, but so what? There is always Southampton.
After it had taken them sixteen years to escape, Blues faced the possibility of an instant return to the second division when Dugarry joined the team in January 2003. What came next was quite motivating.
Dugarry looked every bit the World Cup winner he was, scoring five goals in four games to guarantee his team’s safety. Fans had never seen anything like it before or since—the vision, the perfection, the balletic grace, the joie de vivre—and many believe that his effort in the Blues’ 3-2 victory over the Saints stands as the team’s best single performance in team history.
Even though it was short, it was quite lovely.
Carr, Stephen
Stephen Carr says hello to Villa supporters
Stephen Carr Blues have demonstrated a talent for signing free agents and developing them into legendary players for the team. Carr serves as the embodiment of that.
The right back, who was 32 years old, put up his boots in December 2008 after earning 44 caps for the Republic of Ireland and more than 300 first-team games for Tottenham and Newcastle.
He signed a one-month contract with Blues three months later, following a few weeks of training, and it was then extended until the conclusion of the season.
The Irishman played 121 appearances, spent three more seasons overall, and won the Carling Cup at Wembley in 2011.
That’s what he will always be known for, though others may also remember him for his response to taunts from Aston Villa supporters.
Michael Forssell
Mikael Forssell applauds his accomplishment.
Michael Forssell
Though it’s hard to imagine now, Mikael Forssell, one of the best strikers to ever don the Royal Blue, and Dugarry were once part of the Blues’ strike force.
Forssell joined the team on loan from Chelsea and made history by scoring 17 goals in his first Premiership season. The next season, he made a comeback, but a serious knee injury struck him after only a few weeks.
Whatever the case, the Blues paid £3 million to bring him back to the team permanently in 2005. Despite the fact that injuries plagued him throughout his time at St Andrew’s, he would go on to score 37 goals in five years, solidifying his status as the team’s darling among a generation of Blues supporters.
He and Dugarry stand with the likes of Trevor Francis, Bob Hatton, and Bob Latchford in the annals of Birmingham City greats.
LINKED PAGE
