The timing of the Blues’ promotion back to the Championship is crucial for the rebuild of Birmingham and the wider region’s bin strike-battered reputation, senior figures linked to the club said today.
Antony Isherwood, CEO of the Birmingham City FC Foundation, and Paul Cadman, non-exec director for the Blues and a trustee of the BCFC Foundation, reflected on this week’s 1-2 win over Peterborough to book the club’s promotion back into the second tier.
Mr Isherwood said: “I was sat at Norwich last season on the day we got relegated. It was really strange. We all knew it was the start of a new era of rebuilding this club into something better. We had to go back to go forward.
“One word: proud.”
“Now, to be re-entering tier two is amazing, and based on the number of wins this could turn out to be one of the best seasons ever.
“As a fan I have great pride in what the players and the management have achieved. I know these people. They’re good people. They deserve this success.
“And the more successful the club is on the pitch, the more work we as a foundation will pick up off the pitch – and the more people we can help.”
The BCFC Foundation has 29 full-time staff. It gets its funding from the Premier League, the English Football League as well as various bids and grants.
It focuses on supporting local communities with basic life provisions, education, skills, creating routes into employment and, of course, access to football for people of all ages as well as for disabled people.
“What we do in life echoes in eternity”
Prof. Paul Cadman
Mr Cadman said: “This could not have come at a better time – not just for our club but for the whole of our city as once again we find ourselves in a rebuild phase. Rebuilding the reputation of Birmingham after many weeks of tawdry headlines about bins strikes and rats.
“Last night’s result is a important step along the way. And if you’ll forgive me being a little dramatic, to quote Gladiator: ‘What we do in life echoes in eternity.’ It’s true. It really does.
“The Blues are rebuilding. Birmingham is rebuilding. Huge investment is going into the place, including into the £3bn Sports Quarter, which includes a new 60,000-seater stadium for the club. The future is bright for our region.”
The Blues face Peterborough again at 3pm this Sunday in the Vertu Trophy final at Wembley.
