Watto’s Preview: Birmingham City vs Burnley

The last home match of the season and nothing to play for. When did that last happen? The visit of Burnley should be a celebration of what has been a pretty good season and to let it die out in a whimper would be sad. Burnley can do the double over the Blues and only one team has done that this season which was accomplished with the help if Ron Atkinson’s grandson.

Twelve months ago how we all loved the little Burnley club battling away through the play offs and reaching the promised land of Premiership. The reason was of course was that with Burnley promoted and Hull staying up there was only one relegation place to avoid. By the time Burnley started the adventure, Portsmouth had allocated themselves a place in the championship and the chances of Blues going down was virtually zero.

The next season things will not be quite as easy and unless Blackpool gets up, there will be three proper clubs coming into the division. I would say that I am right behind Blackpool but Blues record against the Tangerines is so bad that we may want to avoid them. Blackpool would be relegated with six points all against us!

Burnley has done well at St Andrews recording a win and a draw in our last two promotion campaigns. There away record this season is abysmal and their 4 points have come with a win at Hull and an inexplicable point at Manchester City. That shock at Eastlands was enough to see the jettisoning of Mark Hughes and Mark Bowen. Big thank you for that. Burnley therefore has served their purpose so thanks for coming, see you in about 20 years!

As for Blues, Steven Carr is suspended for his gesturing to the Villagers last Sunday. Can’t actually condone that sort of thing but we all know how he feels. Scott Dann is out for the rest of the season so still waits for his Derby debut. Scott has not been mentioned in the ‘Man of the season’ talk but has done very well in his first Premiership season. Steady rather than spectacular he has had very few games where he has been in trouble.

With the London Press unable to see outside the M25 they would prefer to have a cripple like Ledley King in the England squad than someone like Scott or Rodger Johnson. The mighty Ridge is now considered the utility player and as Paul Madeley did some years ago at Leeds he is worthy of consideration especially as the Central and left back roles are in so much turmoil.

One consolation about last Sunday was that the Name of Birmingham took centre stage and the Derby was a good game and notable for all the right reasons. Cappello was there and even he must have realised that the team that bares the City’s name has the likely England contenders.

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