kpc

And away from the test, interesting finish lined up at the Oval where Warwickshire need 222 to win in a low scoring game on a wicket that appears to be taking spin. Should edge it but think it will be mighty close.

???? Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Can't see far beyond the obvious.... Spain, > Holland and Germany myself. I also expect that > Torres will have a decent tournamnt with Villa > out. I think England will get through their group > and then lose to Spain. Add Italy to those three for the other semi-finalist. Will stick my neck out and say Germany to beat Netherlands in final (should put the kibbosh on that then).

Congratulations to the Irons on their promotion to the other football thread.

There is no play-off final tomorrow, just a vicious rumour. Yours from the bunker of denial.

Nope. As they were early season, if anything I think that they helped to bring the squad together, both in terms of playing style and team spirit given the turnover of players following relegation. Hughton would typically make 5 or 6 changes from league games for these matches. More relevant were the injuries to key players at various stages of the season: at one time, both preferred right backs were out (Steve Carr and Jonathan Spector). David Murphy had a couple of months out, Jordon Mutch slightly longer, Guirane N'Daw and Keith Fahey in midfield, both Marlon King and Nikola Zigic picked up knocks (Zigic landing awkwardly after scoring his fourth at Leeds) and most recently Steven Caldwell and Boaz Myhill. Not that anyone is using this as an excuse, injuries happen. Over two games against Blackpool we under-performed; despite this, had we taken our chances last night, I'd have been forking out around ?80 for a Wembley ticket today. The good thing is, Blues fans are reacting positively to not making the play-off final. Disappointed but realistic. And not one of 8,000 plus who partied in Brugge regrets our European run.

maxxi Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > It's a strange ol'game though... if CH leaves, > what price the owners(?) doing a Redknapp and > bringing McLeish back when he gets sacked? ... or > Steve Bruce is still hanging around... Ha ha ha ha ha. None at all. Now if Barry Fry declared an interest....

Vicious rumour, but given the current circumstances at St Andrews (late accounts and all that) and that he is only on a one year rolling contract, speculation is inevitable. If he leaves, so be it; he will leave with the goodwill and blessings of all (sane) Blues fans for the season he has given us (as opposed to the guy who f*cked off last year). Interesting few weeks ahead.

???? Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Bad luck KPC. Got to be honest and say I'd rather > be facing Blackpool than you but hope you keep > your manager and get back up soon...ideally to > join us :)) Thanks. Disappointed we didn't make it to a 63rd game. Have consoled myself with a large glass of rum. Been one hell of a season all in all, and probably the most enjoyable one for many Blues fans. Last year's accounts out next week - not pretty but "nowhere near bankruptcy". Hope we can keep Chris Hughton so that he can continue the good work.

Maybe it could be arranged for one of them to 'fall ill'. Nothing serious, like.

Looking pretty safe for you - congratulations and hope to join you at Wembley. Decent allocation for final - are you not part of any of the various membership schemes. Or you could try the "spare a ticket for a veteran of '75" line.

That's cos we scare you.....(expecially Zigic).

Bucket and spade - check. Kiss me quick hat - check. Sugar lumps for donkeys - check. Phone number of local STI clinic - er. Blackpool here I come. Good result for you guys last night - see you at Wem-ber-ley.

maxxi Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > Don't get me wrong - I just mean we have hammered > them (Blackpool) twice this season whereas the > Brummies scraped a draw each time. > > Tbh I think Blackpool will prove such a thorn for > B'ham and put them through two really tough games > - so much so that even if the blues win they will > be shot and WH will beat them comfortably... if we > get past Cardiff;-) Sixty games so far, we've been through our tired patch and now on our second wind. Players coming back from injury and others stepping up to the plate. Yeah, too much going our way, we're doomed.... Whatever the outcome, intend to thoroughly enjoy the remaining games, even if that does mean drinking to excess.

I can understand that. ;-)

Happy with our fourth place and B&B already booked on the Prom for next Friday night (incidentally, Blackpool are only charging ?15 to season ticket holders of both clubs). Blackpool's open style will allow plenty of opportunities and I feel reasonably confident of a trip to north London in three weeks. In a one-off final, we fear no team...

Alan Medic Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- And then there's KB. But you seem quite intelligent.

Three stunning goals against Palace. It'll all end in tears on Monday (I'm sure).

Ah, so this is what passes for research nowadays. Suggest you track down a copy of Adrian Chiles programme he did a few years ago about being a Croatian fan, write down what he says and put it in your story.

A favourite with the fans during his two years at St Andrews. Stunned to hear the news. Hope the news that is coming through that he is stable are accurate. Best wishes Fabrice.

The idea being that they are in the shop window so that their agent can fix a deal for them, part of the wages allegedly coming out of the fees payable as part of the deal.

maxxi Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > > Kids for a quid at Upton Park on Saturday. > > What do you mean Doncaster are a lesser team?!? Think schemes like this are great (as pioneered by Brady at Birmingham in the nineties) but then you need to keep them coming back. And Doncaster are anything but a lesser team when they can boast such galcticos as El Hadji Diouf, Frederic Piquionne and Pascal Chimbonda (the deals for Diouf and Chimbonda are rumoured to be very speculative).

Until the rules get changed, people will use whatever wiggle room that exists to their maximum benefit. Certainly Blues financial position is serious and could verge on precarious, but there are far worse examples of wilful overspending in the Championship (Leicester being a prime example). The risks that they have taken with loan signings are relatively low (three months wages, more than recouped by the release of Beausejour and Ridgewell in January with money left over). I agree, the rules need a thorough overhaul and the sooner the better, preferably before clubs start going to the wall in large numbers which is the alternative. That has to include a 'fit and proper person' test that is, er, fit and proper. It needs to place financial constraints on clubs - I'm in favour of both caps on squad size and salary. However, at present, such changes are not a strong prospect. I cannot see chairmen with a vested interest in continuing the current system imposing change upon themselves. And yes, the Bundesliga is an attractive model to any (rational) fan and I look forward to a time when consistently fair ticket prices (as opposed to cheap midweek tickets in February to see a 'lesser' team) and safe standing. ???? - interesting to know that CH is actually flawed! And agree that it's good to see both him and Chris Powell succeeding (add Noel Blake to that list for his work at England U20 level). Interesting to see what happens with Terry Connor at the end of the season.

The timing of the loans signings was very deliberate and purely for footballing reasons - the 93 day 'emergency' loan period now includes the play-off final. Clearly the club looked at the rule book very closely, both in terms of timing and in anticipating a transfer embargo. Of course there are concerns regarding the late posting of accounts, but this is not entirely unexpected. Every so often one of the papers will run a story on our financial mess (the Daily Mail's turn today) but no new information has emerged for a while. I'm sure the Mirror and Guardian will run re-hashed stories in the near future too. Carson Yeung's problems in HK are worrying, but involve the holding company BIH rather than the football club (I know this is a familiar ring to it) and the money laundering charges against him are for periods prior to his involvement with Birmingham City. The continued delay of his trial is inconvenient - now scheduled for November - not least in either attracting new investors/disposing of his shareholding. Obtaining hard/clear information about his case (or even on his true background) is nigh impossible. The source of the financial woes stem from paying ?30m over the odds for the club in the first place (quite HTF you make that kind of error, I have no idea). Administration is a future possibility and I think that a practicable decision with regard to submitting the accounts will be taken on 28/29 April, after the final game, to see where the club are likely to be and whether to accept a points deduction for next season. However, where I will praise the club is in their efforts to (belatedly) cut their cloth according to their means - the mass exodus of last summer/selective sales in January/transfer fees only for Ibanez and Elliott. The squad are united under Chris Hughton, show tremendous resolve on the pitch and the quality of football has been easier on the eye this season. The fans have had a bit more fun too and 5000 plus will be heading to Coventry on Saturday (oh dear), where both sets of fans can sing "You're not signing any more" to each other. Even being in a play-off position is beyond the expectation of most Blues fans this season and, with 13 games to go, nobody in their right mind - let alone me - will predict where we'll finish. All I know is that the players will give absolutely everything on the pitch to push towards promotion. Incidentally, we are not the only club in Birmingham with serious financial problems. The following link is for an excellent blog that specialises in football finances, well worth the read. The Swiss Rambler

???? Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > Birmingham's season starting to catch up with them > and Southampton wobbling. I'm gonna go with the > Irons and 'Boro or Reading for the automatics. Inclined to agree about Blues - a few niggly injuries particularly to defence, some tiredness from the extra games we've played and bedding in of new loan players all factors in our recent dip. But a play-off place should have been the height of our ambition for the season. Just need to settle down and grind out a couple of results. Reading's current form looks impressive, not quite sure how Boro have stayed up there, Southampton on the wane, Irons staying in form and lucky. Think it will be a very interesting last quarter of the season.

yeboah15 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Hi all, Leeds fan here! > > Are any of you into your betting? We have just > started posting on a forum called Bet Share and > there are some pretty decent bets being discussed > for todays football. > > I think Birmingham has to be a banker today. > > Thought you might be interested. > > http://www.bet-share.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=948 It should be but as a Blues fan I am too superstitious to bet on our mathces. Especially on our current unbeaten run. I've goe for Newcastle/Swindon/Notts Co/Burnley paying slightly under 8/1.