Birmingham City insight: Inside the boardroom on Sullivan and Brady's last game
True to their word, there were no speeches, no parting messages, no presidential-style walkabouts by Sullivan or Ralph Gold. A line was drawn under their regime with little fuss, and that’s really how both men like it.
At the final whistle, there was a quick clap, a wave of acknowledgement from Sullivan and then he was gone down the gangway to the inner sanctum, followed by his boys.
A wistful Ralph Gold looked on, disappointment etched on his face due to Blues’ dramatic giveaway, and similarly retreated to the boardroom without any grand gestures.
Brady, who has also resigned her position, wasn’t there. She might have announced in her Sun column that she was filming The Apprentice, you would have thought. Presumably had she skipped that commitment, Sir Alan would have given it the old ‘Karren – you’re fired’ routine.
Somewhere high up in the Gil Merrick Stand Gallery sat Sammy Yu and another chief from Grandtop International incognito. In a couple of weeks, this will all be Carson Yeung’s and yours, Sammy. And they can’t wait.
David Gold had met the Hong Kong pair the previous day and has in principle agreed a deal to stay on.
So the chairman also experienced a strange feeling on a momentous day for the directors. Technically he’s left, but then again he hasn’t.
Sullivan and Ralph Gold both said they felt they were handing the Blues baton to people who could ‘take the club forward’. “But let’s see if they live up to their promises,” Sullivan typically cautioned. “I sincerely hope they do.”
Ralph Gold reflected: “Our time has passed. I’m going out feeling I gave a lot, I received a lot. In life you give to get.”
Just as he and Sullivan were ready to leave, Jack disappeared to go pitchside again. Not for another game, but to try and find his programme, signed by Capello. That’s some souvenir all right, and a sharp reminder of what the boys, at least, are going to miss in the future.
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