Birmingham City: Why Blues' Youth Cup run means so much to Jacob Rowe

Mar 21 2009 by Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail

BLUES’ run to the FA Youth Cup semi-finals means more to Jacob Rowe than most.

The tough centre-half appreciates such exciting times in the Blues Academy because his football dream once appeared over.

And ironically it was Blues Academy supremo Terry Westley who was cast as villain.

“When I was 14, I went up to Derby County, where Terry was Academy director at the time,” recalls Rowe.

“I was on trial for about a year there, as a central midfielder.

“Terry actually said ‘no, I don’t want you’.

“I reinvented myself as a centre-back as an under-16 still playing for Solihull Borough – as they were then – and Terry came along, had a look and decided to sign me for Blues, after my last two games at that level.

“So I came into the Academy very late, virtually straight into full-time football, whereas the rest of the lads had been there since 10 and 11.

“With that background, I definitely appreciate what I’ve got now and I’m determined to do well for Blues, be successful and have a career in the game.”

Such dogged determination not to crumble after the initial disappointment impressed Westley, who moved from Derby to Blues in 2006.