Jon McCarthy on Birmingham City's previous tilt at domestic glory - 2001 Worthington Cup memories
Dec 1 2010 by Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail
IN THEIR 135-year history, Blues have only reached four major domestic finals.
They were favourites for the 1956 FA Cup but undone by injuries, complacency and Don Revie in the Manchester City showdown.
Well before then, in 1931, Albion took the honours in the same competition at Wembley.
In the League Cup, Blues won the trophy in 1963, only the third year after the competition’s inception.
There was ambivalence to it back then, although it remains Blues’ only serious success in home knock-out competition.
Putting to one side the Leyland DAF Cup and Auto Windscreens Shield, in the modern age Blues had a fantastic run to the 2001 Worthington Cup final under Trevor Francis.
And but for referee David Elleray ignoring a blatant penalty area foul on Andrew Johnson in extra-time they could have beaten Gerard Houllier’s Liverpool, too.
In the end, Johnson missed the decisive spot-kick in a shoot-out, TF was memorably reduced to tears when consoling the young striker, who had just turned 20, and Blues came so near, yet so far.
Jon McCarthy was a surprise selection for Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium as he had only just battled back from another broken leg.
