Birmingham City end of an era: Beginning of the end...
David Sullivan and Carson Yeung
Carson Yeung told us it was his ‘destiny’ to own Blues.
He first tried realising that destiny in the summer of 2007, but what transpired was a nightmare for Blues.
David Sullivan, David and Ralph Gold and Karren Brady agreed to sell a 29.9 per cent stake to the Hong Kong tycoon for around £15 million.
He was allowed until December to raise the rest of the money to complete a full buyout.
It was no surprise that the directors were ready to go. Sullivan said that the ‘honeymoon period’ between the club and fans had long since gone.
But, as it turned out, so too was Steve Bruce ready to depart. When it emerged that he was unable to secure a new contract, and after he met Yeung’s entourage, he got jittery.
He was no longer on the same page as the board either and as results nosedived he upped for Wigan Athletic who, to Blues’ surprise when asked, stumped up £3 million in compensation.
Enter Alex McLeish in November 2007. Blues landed on their feet in persuading Big Eck to quit Scotland. The timing was fortuitous, as the Scots’ hopes of reaching the European Championship finals had floundered. Italy broke their hearts, winning 2-1 at Hampden Park.
Sullivan heralded McLeish and boasted that the ‘transfer’ fee for Bruce was a ‘great bit of business’.
“Every manager we have appointed has been better than the last one, and we think that continues to be the case,” insisted Sullivan.
Where there was once unity and friendship there was now discord and bitterness between Bruce and the Blues hierarchy.
A row over an image rights payment held up Bruce’s appointment at Wigan, something he branded ‘disgusting’, adding that the board had put ‘greed before friendship’.
McLeish, meanwhile, had to get on with the job of keeping Blues’ head above the choppy relegation waters as this unsavoury drama played out in the background. And then it became clear that the Yeung deal had stalled.
That signalled more accusations, with Sullivan saying his piece, while in Hong Kong the Yeung camp maintained their silence which was dignified, but did nothing for their tattered and smeared reputation.
In the transfer window of 2008, James McFadden (£5 million), David Murphy (£1.5 million) and Mauro Zarate, the latter instigated by Sullivan’s contacts, were major additions. The loss of Gary Cahill, from Villa to Bolton Wanderers after a £5 million fee had been agreed, would prove to be telling.
Blues were smashed 5-1 at Villa and were relegated again, by a single point.
