BIRMINGHAM NEWS

lovablemum · Joined: 02 Aug 2005 Posts: 4068 Location: Northants

Birmingham chairman David Gold has given his full backing to manager Steve Bruce and is confident he will steer the club out of relegation trouble.

Blues slipped into the bottom three as a result of losing Sunday's derby with Aston Villa plus Fulham's 1-1 draw with Charlton at The Valley the following day.

It is a far cry from the expectations for City at the start of the campaign when Gold claimed the club had "their best squad for 25 years".

But he has every faith in Bruce, his backroom staff and players to pull Birmingham away from trouble - especially when their lengthy injury list eases.

Gold said: "It is a difficult time and it is not nice to be in the bottom three. We are not deluding ourselves. We are in the relegation zone.

"But it is important not to panic. We have confidence and faith in our people and that includes Steve Bruce who has done a superb job for this club.

"He would have been hurting after the defeat against Villa. He is disappointed and doesn't like losing but he will also have put it behind him and will be fully focused on turning things around and driving the chaps on for the Blackburn game.

"Of course, there is a nagging feeling about things until you have got the points on the board but I am sure he will turn things around."

Gold added: "We have had horrendous luck with injuries, not injuries that keep people out for two or three weeks, but ones which have put people out for almost a year like Mikael Forssell and David Dunn.

"But we have also had three players sent off in successive games (Nicky Butt, Neil Kilkenny and Kenny Cunningham) when you could argue that none were for serious violent play although Nicky Butt was adjudged to have kicked out at someone."

reddevilleanne · Joined: 20 Oct 2004 Posts: 13228 Location: Nottingham

Bruce blasts pathetic Blues
By James Pearson - Created on 17 Dec 2005

Steve Bruce pulled no punches following Birmingham City's 4-1 pasting at the hands of Manchester City.

Blues started woefully and failed to improve over the course of the match as City dominated from the first to last whistle.

City led at the interval thanks to goals from David Sommeil, Joey Barton and Antoine Sibierski and no matter what Bruce changed things did not improve.

Bradley Wright-Phillips added a fourth after the break, although substitute Jiri Jarosik managed a consolation with a fine left-footed finish.

"They couldn't have got any worse from the first whistle," explained Bruce. "Tonight we were just totally, utterly pathetic.

"I think overall I'm totally hugely disappointed with the whole event - we got a total pasting.

"It was an embarrassment really what I've just witnessed out there.

"We pride ourselves on organisation and team spirit but that has just totally evaporated.

"As the manager who brought them here you take responsibility but some players have to stand up and be counted."