Steve Bruce had the winner's mentality for Birmingham City
Karren Brady talks to Steve Bruce at a press conference in 2007.
Mick Mills and Jim Barron held the fort as caretaker managers after Trevor Francis was sacked on October 15, 2001.
But they were just keeping matters ticking over before Steve Bruce arrived.
However, Crystal Palace and their chairman Simon Jordan had other ideas.
He refused Blues approach, Bruce walked and Jordan went through he courts to have Bruce placed on gardening leave.
He didn’t hold back on his views. “I cannot think for the life of me why Steve thinks Birmingham are a bigger club than Palace,” he jibed.
But Blues would not wither away.
In December, after another High Court hearing, Blues ended up paying £260,000 for Bruce as a ‘job swop’ materialised.
Palace appointed Trevor Francis, and freed Bruce after their match at St Andrew’s, when Francis received a standing ovation as he walked from the tunnel to the dug outs.
Karren Brady was sure that they had chosen he right man, and all the trouble was worth it.
She said: “Steve Bruce has that winner’s mentality. Spend five minutes in his company and you can see that. Trevor Francis did a good job but we came to the conclusion that getting close wasn’t good enough.”
And Bruce’s success was instant and, in truth, unexpected.
Bringing in Stern John, Olivier Tebily, Steve Vickers, Paul Devlin and handing Darren Carter his debut, Blues embarked on a 13-game unbeaten run to finish the season in glory - victory in the Division One play-off final.
When Carter swept the telling penalty past Robert Green in the Norwich City goal at the Millennium Stadium in yet another shoot-out, Blues were catapulted to the top-flight for the first time since 1986.
And so began the most fruitful and harmonious period in the Sullivan-Gold-Brady regime, until it all unravelled in recriminations and rancour a few years down the line.
The excitement, passion and sheer enthusiasm from all concerned during that inaugural Premier League season, of 2002-03, has never been repeated.
Clinton Morrison was signed for a record £4.25 million and Robbie Savage quickly became the heartbeat, and new terrace hero, of Bruce’s side.
Villa, and Peter Enckelman, wandered into a blue brick wall of passion on a memorable partisan September St Andrew’s night.
And when Blues looked like being sucked under at the turn of the year, they pulled off arguably the most eye-popping and influential signing in modern history - Le God.
Christophe Dugarry was seduced over a cuppa and a rich tea biscuit by Bruce at his house. We need you to save this club from relegation, do you fancy the challenge?
An enigmatic, idiosyncratic character, and a marvellously gifted footballer, the challenge appealed to the French World Cup winner. He said ‘oui’.
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