The 2013 transfer may have given Birmingham City one of their best-value acquisitions in recent memory, despite all of their newfound wealth.
After spending the previous season on loan in the Second City, Paul Caddis joined Blues in the summer of 2013 from Swindon Town for a reported fee of around £150,000, according to the Birmingham Mail.
During his five seasons with Birmingham, Caddis made 159 appearances across all competitions, demonstrating his value as a teammate. But one instance in particular will live on in his memory forever.
Caddis scored a crucial equaliser in stoppage time away at Bolton Wanderers on the last day of the 2013–14 Championship season to secure a 2-2 draw and keep the Blues in the league.
Caddis will forever be remembered for his goal at Bolton
When Caddis, then 22 years old, joined League Two team Swindon Town for an unknown fee in the summer of 2010, he made his first move to England.
The right-back played for Wiltshire for two seasons, the latter during Paolo Di Canio’s infamously turbulent tenure. When the Robins were promoted to League One as champions, Caddis was included in the League Two PFA Team of the Season after Di Canio elected him club captain in September 2011.
Then, on deadline day in August 2012, the Scotsman signed a season-long loan with the Blues. Before they finalised the trade before the next season, he participated in 27 Championship games in the 2012–13 season. The reported transfer fee was around £150,000.
He scored five goals in his 38 league games in 2013–14, saving his most crucial goals for the last day of the season.
After Blues fell behind Bolton Wanderers 2-1, the 5’7″ full-back scored a crucial equaliser in the 93rd minute to secure a crucial 2-2 draw, keep Birmingham in the Championship, and demote Doncaster Rovers.
Caddis had what was possibly his best season wearing a Birmingham shirt the following year. He concluded the season with seven goals and six assists after making an incredible 48 appearances across all competitions. The Birmingham Mail also praised him as one of the division’s top attacking full-backs.
The 2016–17 season marked the bitter end of Caddis’ stint at Birmingham. He had a public clash with boss Gary Rowett over his fitness levels and failed to make a single league appearance.
After Rowett was fired in December 2016, the defender left the team by mutual consent in January 2017 because he was still unpopular with new manager Gianfranco Zola.
Even though Caddis’ time with the Blues ended abruptly, he will always be remembered as the guy who scored one of the most significant goals in the team’s recent history—a moment that well outweighed the £150,000 they paid for him.
Caddis is now managing Hereford
After leaving Birmingham, Caddis’ career kind of took a turn for the worse.
He first signed a short-term contract with Bury before spending time with Bradford City and Blackburn Rovers, however he was unable to make 30 appearances for either team.
He spent his final two seasons back at Swindon in League Two, before retiring at the end of the 2021/22 season
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