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Geoff Horsfield: Take inspiration from the great escape

GEOFF Horsfield today told Blues to take inspiration from the perhaps the greatest of all great escapes. Read

Gok Wan in Birmingham

TELEVISION style guru Gok Wan burst into Birmingham in quest to find the nation's most fashionable people. Read

Martin O'Neill: You're talking a load of rubbish Rafa!

MARTIN O'Neill today angrily hit back at Rafa Benitez for claiming he was involved in dialogue with him for three weeks over the sale of Gareth Barry to Liverpool. Read

Tony Mowbray: No plans for mass clear-out

TONY Mowbray has no plans for a mass clear-out as he prepares to freshen up his Albion squad for the Premier League assault. Read

Gary Breen released by Mick McCarthy

SKIPPER Gary Breen has been released by Mick McCarthy as the Wolves boss kicked off the summer overhaul to his Molineux squad. Read

Coronation - Hampton on a high

HAMPTON Sports brought the curtain down on this season's Coronation League when they clinched the Alliance Two title at the expense of rivals Thurlestone. Read

Amir Khan facing a tough time in Birmingham

AMIR Khan is coming to Birmingham on June 21 and he has been promised a rough ride - not from his opponent but his promoter Frank Warren. Read

QPR 0 West Bromwich Albion 2

SUPERSUB Do-Heon Kim and Superdad Chris Brunt gave the Superheroes a day to remember as Albion lifted their first title since 1920, writes CHRIS LEPKOWSKI. Read

Late night buses in Broad Street to be scrapped

LATE night bus services from Birmingham’s Golden Mile have been suddenly scrapped due lack of interest. Read

Stephen Kelly pledges his future to Birmingham City

STEPHEN Kelly today became the latest Blues player to pledge his future to the club should the worst come to the worst tomorrow. Read

Loan rangers set for West Bromwich Albion

TONY Mowbray intends making full use of the loan system next season and may turn to the Premier League's big four in his search for possible signings. Read

No new deals at Wolves says Mick

MICK McCarthy today vowed any successful Wolves players would be rewarded with new contracts - but that none were in the pipeline after missing out on the play-offs. Read

Olof Mellberg: What a way for me to sign off

OLOF Mellberg believes leading Villa to fifth place in his final season at the club would represent a "fantastic" achievement because he says the Premier League is tougher than ever. Read

We must believe we can do it- Alex McLeish

ALEX McLeish has urged Blues not to hope events go their way on Sunday - but believe. Read

Sandwell - Lamp is burning brightly

LAMP Wanderers lifted the Sandwell League's ADP Plant Cup after giving Greets Green 8 Locks six of the best. Read

Wayne Elcock at centre of complaint

THE Black Country camp of Darren McDermott have lodged a complaint that could see Brummie Wayne Elcock lose the right to defend his British middleweight title. Read

Planning chiefs want JFK mural restored

FURIOUS city planning chiefs want Birmingham’s historic Kennedy mural fully restored to its former glory in a new £150 million Digbeth Irish Quarter development. Read

Liam Ridgewell's in line for crunch-clash return

BLUES should have Liam Ridgewell available for the day of reckoning against Blackburn Rovers. Read

Elokobi support for injured Timar

WOLVES defender George Elokobi has sent his good wishes to Plymouth's Krisztian Timar as the Hungarian prepares for surgery to repair multiple fractures to his skull. Read

Hotline is buzzing for Tony Mowbray

MANAGER Tony Mowbray today admitted his phone had not stopped ringing since Albion's promotion - mainly with agents touting their players around. Read

I won't let the boo-boys win - Nigel Reo Coker

NIGEL REO-Coker has revealed he has received letters of goodwill from some West Ham supporters on the eve of his return to Upton Park. Read

North Birmingham - Scruffy's put on style

SCRUFFY Murphy's won the North Birmingham League Invitation Cup by eclipsing JC Lions 4-2. Read

Police investigation into postal vote fraud allegations

POLICE have begun the 'painstaking' process of investigating allegations of postal vote fraud during last week's local election. Read

Alex McLeish: Me and Bruce are fine

STEVE Bruce and Alex McLeish have cleared the air - and there is no problem between them. Read

Martin O'Neill: I wish fans had jeered me!

VILLA boss Martin O'Neill has backed Nigel Reo-Coker to beat the boo-boys at West Ham - and has even urged the midfielder take the jeers as a compliment. Read

Wolves place Freddy Eastwood on transfer list

WOLVES boss Mick McCarthy today revealed striker Freddy Eastwood has been made available for transfer. Read

No civic reception is the right move, says Tony Mowbray

TONY Mowbray has defended Albion's decision to scrap the civic reception - claiming the Baggies are already preparing for Premier League consolidation. Read

Birmingham AFA - Village cruise to title

VICTORIOUS Village wrapped up the Birmingham AFA Premier title with a 7-2 success over Handsworth GSOB. Read

Call to honour Midland man who save thousands of Jews

A MIDLAND man who saved thousands of Jews from Nazi Germany will receive a posthumous knighthood if MPs get their way. Read

Alex McLeish: We can re-boot Blues for success

ALEX McLeish has told the Blues board that it’s within their realm to re-boot Blues for success. Read

Brady's £1m move to Arsenal wrecked

A £1 MILLION move by Birmingham City boss Karren Brady to become the managing director of Arsenal may have been wrecked by the police probe into football corruption. Read

Nigel Reo-Coker: Do us a favour

MIDFIELDER Nigel Reo-Coker is hoping arch-rivals Blues can do Villa a massive favour on Sunday by beating Blackburn. Read

Robert Koren praises Tony Mowbray's nasty side

ROBERT Koren has revealed that Tony Mowbray turned into Mr Angry to help Albion win promotion. Read

Wolves will be stronger for missing out this season, says Dave Edwards

DAVE Edwards today argued that the silver lining to Wolves’ play-off cloud will see the Molineux men better equipped to mount a Premier League challenge should they win promotion in a year’s time. Read

Karren Brady's £1m move to Arsenal wrecked

A £1 MILLION move by Birmingham City boss Karren Brady to become the managing director of Arsenal may have been wrecked by the police probe into football corruption. Read

Gareth Barry's always a winner for Villa

SKIPPER Gareth Barry - who is being linked with a move to Liverpool - showed how valuable he is to Villa when he scooped yet another Players' Player of the Year honour at last night's end-of-season awards ceremony. Read

Northfield family kept dogs used for fighting

A FAMILY convicted of keeping pit bull terrier-type dogs were also involved in breeding or fighting them, a court heard. Read

Kevin Foley grateful to Wolves boss Mick McCarthy

WOLVES defender Kevin Foley today expressed his debt of gratitude to under-fire manager Mick McCarthy. Read

West Bromwich Albion eyeing Polish midfielder Radoslaw Majewski

WEST Bromwich Albion are casting an eye over Poland's highly-rated midfielder Radoslaw Majewski. Read

Cannabis found in Acocks Green home raid

CANNABIS plants were discovered when officers raided a Birmingham house. Read

Dave Edwards agrees Wolves should aim for title

WOLVES’ chairman Steve Morgan’s public declaration that the club should next season aim for the Championship title has been backed by midfielder Dave Edwards. Read

Liverpool 'way off target' with Gareth Barry offer, says Martin O'Neill

MARTIN O'Neill has warned Liverpool they are "a million miles away" with their valuation of Gareth Barry. Read

I mean business at Birmingham City, says Alex McLeish

ALEX McLeish has insisted he is in it for the long haul at Birmingham City - whatever happens on Sunday. Read

Relief in Brum as China crisis ends at Longbridge

BUSINESS and union leaders today pledged their support to the Chinese revolution at Longbridge - with production finally due to return to the historic factory after a three-year gap. Read

Aston Villa's UEFA Cup dreams hinge on the final day of the season

MARTIN O'Neill says Villa head to West Ham this Sunday "with plenty to play for" but he admits that a Blackburn win at Blues could leave them with nothing. Read

Alex McLeish: Birmingham City must remain focused

ALEX McLeish will tell Birmingham City to take care of their own business on Sunday and not get wrapped up in events elsewhere. Read

We'll keep Wolves stars, pledges Jez Moxey

CHIEF executive Jez Moxey today called for “patience” from the club’s fans amid their latest play-off disappointment - and re-affirmed the message that NONE of the club’s Crown Jewels will be leaving this summer. Read

Irish pies are smiling for Cut the Cost winner

JOY Haywood will have to ditch any summer diet resolutions after becoming the fourth lucky winner in the Birmingham Mail's Cut the Cost competition. Read

Aston Villa unveil corporate hospitality packages

RANDY Lerner's quest for more corporate seating in the best seats at Villa Park - the centre of the Trinity Road Stand - have moved towards fruition with the announcement of hospitality packages and prices. Read

Alex McLeish: Why Birmingham City didn't sign Wilson Palacios

ALEX McLeish has explained the background to Wilson Palacios being allowed to slip from Blues' clutches and join Wigan Athletic. Read

Repair work starts on Spaghetti Junction

VITAL work to repair Birmingham’s crumbling Spaghetti Junction will begin on Monday and last for 17 months. Read

Quick-thinking nurse is named local hero

A QUICK-thinking Birmingham nurse who used a belt to save a pub customer after a violent knife attack is the Birmingham Mail's latest local hero. Read

Moseley's Jug of Ale to be demolished

A LANDMARK Birmingham pub which set some of the biggest names in British music on the road to fame is set to be demolished. Read

Tributes to tragic college tutor Heather Linley

TRIBUTES were paid today to a Midland college tutor who died in a head-on crash. Friends described Heather Linley as "vibrant, warm and enthusiastic". Read

'Scum' killers 'should hang'

ROBBERS who killed two men during a crime spree that stretched across the Midlands were today described as “scum” by the anguished brother of one of victims. Read

Plans on show for shopping centre

HUNDREDS of people have had their say on proposals for a major new £200 million store development in a Midland town centre as part of a public consultation. Read

Shoppers descend on Bullring

AN ESTIMATED quarter of a million shoppers will today cram themselves into the Bullring as the post-Christmas sales get into full swing. Read

Johnson calls for 'radical change'

Health Secretary Alan Johnson has called for "radical change" in social care amid claims the system in England is heading towards a £6 billion funding gap within 20 years. Read

Post offices must close - minister

A government minister has maintained that post office closures were necessary because the network continued to lose half-a-million-pounds every day. Read

Public urged to help Burma victims

The public have been urged to donate to an appeal fund to help save the lives of those affected by the Burmese cyclone. Read

Garcia wins Players Championship

Sergio Garcia became just the second European to win the Players Championship after beating American Paul Goydos at the first extra hole on Sunday. Read

Cherie: my lost baby and Iraq panic

Cherie Blair has revealed how her husband made public the fact that she had lost the baby she was carrying in order not to cause a panic over Iraq. Read

Tax burden 'up 50% under Labour'

Britain's tax bill has increased by more than 50% in the past ten years under Labour, it has been claimed. Read

West Ham 2 Aston Villa 2

ASTON Villa's last-ditch push to secure a UEFA Cup place ended in failure as they concluded their season with a draw at Upton Park. Read

Hart gets England call

Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart has been included in Fabio Capello's England squad for the friendlies with USA and Trinidad and Tobago Read

Birmingham City 4 Blackburn Rovers 1

BIRMINGHAM City fans turned on chairman David Gold and co-owner David Sullivan as relegation from the Barclays Premier League was confirmed despite substitute Cameron Jerome's late double against Blackburn. Read

Pressure mounts on Burma government

The Burmese government is under increasing international pressure as aid agencies warned that the death toll following the cyclone disaster could reach 1.5 million. Read

Hunt for 'gentle giant's' killer

A teenager murdered the day after his 16th birthday was killed in an unprovoked attack after he refused to take part in a fight, police said. Read

Brown to stage fightback

Gordon Brown is expected to try to reclaim the political initiative this week, setting out his draft Queen's Speech programme for the autumn with promises of new measures on schools and health. Read

BoE urged to act to avoid downturn

Prospects for the UK economy have worsened and the Bank of England must act swiftly if the country is to avoid a marked downturn, the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has warned. Read

Wounded police rise by 60%

The number of police officers wounded in shootings has increased by 60% in four years, according to figures released by the Conservatives. Read

Fulham avoid the drop

Danny Murphy's 76th-minute header kept Fulham in the Premier League as they overcame FA Cup finalists Portsmouth 1-0. Read

Royals down despite victory

Reading were relegated from the Barclays Premier League despite a convincing 4-0 victory over Derby. Read

Fans turn as City relegated

Birmingham fans turned on chairman David Gold and co-owner David Sullivan after their side's relegation from the Barclays Premier League was confirmed - despite Cameron Jerome's late double securing a 4-1 win against Blackburn. Read

Everton clinch UEFA Cup spot

Everton clinched fifth place and UEFA Cup qualification with a 3-1 win over Newcastle. Read

Villa miss out on Europe

Aston Villa's last-ditch push to secure a UEFA Cup place met with failure as they concluded their season with an undeserved 2-2 draw against West Ham at Upton Park. Read

Blues have to settle for second place

A second-half strike from substitute Andriy Shevchenko was not enough for Chelsea to pinch the title from Manchester United. Read

United claim title

Ryan Giggs marked his record-equalling 758th appearance for Manchester United by steering the club to a second successive Barclays Premier League title thanks to a 2-0 win at Wigan. Read

Rovers secure last-eight spot

Hull KR overcame a disastrous start to comfortably book their place in the last eight of the Carnegie Challenge Cup with a 42-22 win over Huddersfield. Read

Teen killed buying Lottery ticket

A teenage boy who was murdered in his local shop had gone to celebrate his 16th birthday by buying his first Lottery ticket, his father said. Read

More Turkish delight for Massa

Felipe Massa scored a hat-trick of Turkish Grand Prix victories following a fascinating tactical battle with Lewis Hamilton. Read

Extra match idea not over - Scudamore

Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore insists the idea of playing additional matches abroad has not been scrapped. Read

Hull take command in play-offs

Hull City have one foot in the Coca-Cola Championship play-off final after a 2-0 win over ten-man Watford at Vicarage Road. Read

Hard up soldiers need food vouchers

Some soldiers are so hard up they are having to be issued with food vouchers to pay for their meals, an internal Army report has revealed. Read

Levy accuses Brown over funding

Tony Blair's former chief fundraiser, Lord Levy, said it was "inconceivable" Gordon Brown did not know about the secret loans which led to the "cash for honours" inquiry. Read

1.5m Burmese in danger - Oxfam

The lives of up to 1.5 million Burmese cyclone victims are in danger from diseases if clean water and sanitation are not provided soon, Oxfam has warned. Read

Collingwood and Hoggard in squad

Paul Collingwood has been named in England's 12-man squad for the first npower Test against New Zealand at Lord's - although his fitness will be monitored ahead of Thursday's start. Read

Teen killed buying lottery ticket

A teenage boy who was murdered in his local shop had gone to celebrate his 16th birthday by buying his first Lottery ticket, his father said. Read

Loffreda grateful for Varndell double

Under-fire Leicester chief Marcelo Loffreda admitted Tom Varndell's late try had probably saved his job after the Tigers sneaked into the play-offs thanks to a bonus-point win over Harlequins. Read

Anderson relieved to survive Wolves classic

St Helens coach Daniel Anderson paid tribute to rivals Warrington after they lost 40-34 in a thriller to crash out of the Carnegie Challenge Cup. Read

Warnock unimpressed by City celebrations

Neil Warnock warned Bristol City their celebrations at the final whistle could come back to haunt them after David Noble's last-gasp stunner sank Crystal Palace 2-1 in the first leg of their Coca-Cola Championship play-off semi-final. Read

Hill backs Lee despite Quakers defeat

Rochdale boss Keith Hill refused to point the finger at Tommy Lee after his blunder allowed Darlington to score a late winner in the first leg of their Coca-Cola League Two play-off semi-final. Read

Gunners slump influenced Flamini

Midfielder Mathieu Flamini has revealed he would have signed a new deal with Arsenal last summer but the 'pain' of missing out on the Barclays Premier League title influenced his decision to leave the Emirates. Read

Grant looking at future and present

Chelsea boss Avram Grant has started planning for next season at Stamford Bridge, insisting he knows what his situation will be over the summer. Read

'3,000 post offices could close'

Another 3,000 post offices could be forced to close if subpostmasters lose the right to handle state pensions and benefit payments, the Government was warned. Read

£6bn care funding gap consultation

A public consultation will be launched to discuss the future of social care which is heading towards a £6 billion funding gap within 20 years, it was reported. Read

Church in saviour siblings dilemma

Science can tell us what is possible but it is up to individuals to decide what is right, the Archbishop of Canterbury has said ahead of the second reading of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill. Read

Witter blows big chance

Junior Witter saw his dream of a domestic super-fight against Ricky Hatton go up in smoke when he lost his WBC light-welterweight title via a wafer-thin split decision to Timothy Bradley on Saturday. Read

Tories ahead in by-election poll

Labour could be heading for defeat in a crucial by-election in 10 days' time, according to an opinion poll. Read

Prayers for Burma victims

Prayers will be said across the UK for the thousands of people displaced in the Burmese cyclone crisis, as aid agencies face a desperate bid to get supplies and volunteers to the survivors. Read