It was an honour to be asked to host St. Andrew’s first-ever Blues Open House on Monday, and what a fantastic evening it was.
The realisation that my team’s new CEO, Garry Cook, and owner, Tom Wagner, are going to take us on a journey unlike anything any Birmingham City fan has ever experienced before astounded and moved me deeply.
Yes, there have been many wonderful moments, and we all have amazing memories from finals and promotions. We have, however, also experienced many dark periods, usually as a result of a lack of commitment and foresight.
One of my biggest complaints throughout my sixty-plus years of Blues support and forty-six years of broadcasting was that the club never communicated with the fans in an open and transparent manner.
An era where openness and transparency are undoubtedly high on the agenda began on Monday night. This was more than just a publicity stunt—it marked the beginning of the club’s relationship-building and engagement with its most valuable asset: the supporters.
Wagner arrived via video link from New York and immediately stated that he is committed to leading the Blues into a new chapter of success and that his goals for the team are unbounded. Furthermore, he made it apparent that Wayne Rooney is involved in those plans.
He did, however, express his admiration for John Eustace and was quite complimentary about him, adding that while John was ambitious, his goals did not coincide with their own. He stated unequivocally that he would be happy to serve as his reference at any time.
Cook handled the club’s finances and necessary actions with great professionalism. His passion for the Blues, for whom he had grown up as a fan, was evident. He was very explicit about his expectations for each and every member of his management team. He only wants employees who are utterly dedicated to the success of Blues.
He stated that increasing revenues is essential to the club’s success. When it comes to signing new players, the owners’ wealth is rendered meaningless by rules pertaining to profitability and sustainability; however, when it comes to revenue growth, there is far more leeway. I was pleased to learn that Cook sincerely wants Blues to become a caring club in the community. This was demonstrated by the promise made by the Community Trust department to guarantee that all 11,000+ children in Birmingham who are considered to be “in care” will receive a Christmas gift. That struck me as really moving and encouraging.
The six fan groups were then given a tour of the stadium so they could all witness the incredible makeover of the stands, dressing rooms, and other areas as well as the ongoing construction. We were informed that in order to make St Andrew’s fit for purpose and provide the fans with a better matchday experience, new floodlights, two new big screens, a brand-new sound system (which, as someone who was the pitch announcer in the 1970s, is long overdue), a strong WIFI signal that will be welcomed by everyone, and much more are being installed.
All six members of the management team were present to provide an explanation of their roles and the functions of their respective departments.
It was fascinating to hear Rooney and Darren Carter, the women’s team’s coach, discuss their strategies and playing philosophies. Both presented game snippets to clarify their respective requests. Craig Gardner gave a fantastic speech, supported by data and statistics, outlining the playing identity he wants for the entire team.
They were one. It all comes down to developing a playing persona that the audience will find entertaining.
Anthony Isherwood, the director, led a fantastic Community Trust session that inspired pride in the club’s ongoing efforts and future plans to improve the local and global community.
In addition to discussing the exciting news that the Blues will once again be a Cat 1 team, Liam Daish led a session covering both the men’s and women’s academy. He made it apparent that they have a large number of exceptionally gifted children in all age groups. The future was bright, he said, even though the club had lost young players to other clubs because they had better facilities and other things.
While Gemma Lawley discussed her amazing journey to the women’s first team, academy graduate Brandon Khela talked about his journey through the academy to play for the first team.
Additional discussions focused on the club’s sales and sponsorship division, as well as the upgrades to the stadium and training area. Cook clarified that growing revenues is the main challenge during the Q&A that followed.
Additionally, he made it abundantly evident that St. Andrew’s does not align with Wagner’s long-term goals for the team. While they are open to considering all options, they have stated that they require a stadium that is representative of the team they are creating.
It’s interesting to note that he brought up the fact that Rooney and Tom Brady, despite being a minority shareholder, frequently discuss player wellness, recovery, and nutrition. Additionally, he is retelling the “Blues” tale all across the world.
It was a moment I will never forget for me because it made me realise that, at last, after all these years, we have owners who are visionary, goal-oriented, and have the drive and the strategy to make Blues more successful than any of us has ever seen.
It is obvious that Wagner and Cook will not settle for second best. While they acknowledge that the club’s success as a football team is important, they hope it can be more. It has to do with shining a light on the City of Birmingham. That makes me happy to be a Brummie.
The fact that everyone on the team—football, community, sales and marketing, and media—is in agreement and cooperating to make the club more successful than it has ever been is another important factor in my opinion.
It was an intriguing look at a football team that was being as honest and open as possible.
I am no longer feeling worn out and weary, as I stated on Monday, but rather, I genuinely believe that the blues are improving. Though they have hardly begun to address all they intend to do, many things have already been made better.
This club will be unrecognisable in six, seven, eight, or nine years if everything goes as planned. Not to mention that Cook has done it previously.
There was far too much to cover in one column because there was so much more to the evening, but the club will provide much more detail on its social media channels. Even though the evening was supposed to end at 9.45 p.m., it was still going strong at eleven.
Every person I spoke with came out of the room feeling much more upbeat and positive than when they entered. It looks like one hell of a ride for us die-hard Blues supporters.
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