Birmingham VS West Brom

Midlands Derby Thrills: Birmingham vs. West Bromwich

Our first-ever Midlands derby had us buzzing with excitement as we geared up for the clash between The Blues and Albion. We parked at our local station and hopped on one of the few trains to Bordesley. You see, Bordesley station only comes to life when there are matches at St Andrews, and the train journey was a pleasant start to the day. A 12-minute stroll took us to the ground without a hitch.

We briefly considered stopping at a nearby McDonald’s, but the long wait deterred us, so we pressed on toward the stadium. As we approached The Kop entrance, Liam spotted a staff member engaging supporters in a challenge. The task was straightforward: he’d toss the ball high in the air, and participants had to control it before it hit the ground. Three men took their chances before Liam, and they struggled. Liam, however, said, “Dad, I want to give it a try.” I encouraged him, attempting to film the moment, but someone unknowingly blocked my view just as Liam stepped up. What followed was remarkable – Liam effortlessly controlled the ball with his thigh, executing a few keepy-ups. The staff member and onlookers applauded Liam, with the staff member even suggesting he might be a future Jude Bellingham in the making. We were both elated, although we regretted not having video evidence. With Liam even more excited, we continued to Arthur’s End, where Liam grabbed his matchday program and scarf.

Upon exiting the stand, we encountered confusing signage regarding which entrance to use. Our ticket indicated entrance 16, but there was no signage to match. We approached a steward who shared our confusion about the new signage but directed us to the correct turnstile.

Inside, we encountered a cramped refreshment area with a long queue and limited space to move. Consequently, we headed straight for our pitch-side seats. I had booked front-row seats prior to our Hillsborough match, and I worried about Liam’s view. To our pleasant surprise, our seats were more than satisfactory, with the display boards causing only a minor obstruction, nothing like our experience at Hillsborough. The atmosphere was building, and a pre-kickoff fireworks display set the perfect tone. The game was thrilling, and Liam had a good vantage point, thanks to the wall he could stand against.

Around the 30-minute mark, I asked Liam if he wanted anything to eat or drink before the halftime rush. He agreed, and we headed into the refreshment area, only to be greeted by three long queues. Service was painfully slow, causing us to miss Birmingham’s second goal. I think this refreshment area was the worst I’ve seen on all the grounds we’ve visited. Many in the queue shared our frustration, primarily when the goal was scored. Fortunately, I watched the game on my phone, and a small crowd gathered around me as we watched and queued simultaneously. Prices were reasonable; I spent £6 on a Pukka Sausage roll since hotdogs were sold out and a hot chocolate that left much to be desired.

Overall, our experience at St. Andrews was fantastic. However, due to only three trains initially departing from Bordesley for the return journey, we checked the times at halftime, only to discover that the second train had been cancelled. Concerned about the volume of supporters potentially heading our way, Liam and I reluctantly decided to leave in the 75th minute. This meant I missed another goal, although I watched it on the platform with fellow supporters who had the same idea.

Our journey home was smooth despite being a late Friday night train ride. We’re eagerly anticipating Match Day 7, when we’ll be visiting the world’s oldest international football stadium in Wrexham.