SINKING FEELING
Brum legend Pendrey ‘angry’ club have lost touch with fans and fears debt could bust Blues
GARRY PENDREY’S love for Birmingham City once saw him spill tears on Manchester City’s pitch.
An injury-time winner for Fulham in an FA Cup semi-final at Maine Road back in 1975 broke his heart and that of half of the city of Birmingham’s too.
A 13-year playing career was followed by a stint in the manager’s chair.
Since retiring, he has missed but a couple of matches at St Andrew’s. Pendrey is as royal blue as they come.
But these are testing times. Birmingham are over £100million in debt to absentee owners in the Far East. The stadium is mortgaged to the hilt. Before Christmas, two stands failed to pass council safety guidelines.
The club lies four points above the relegation zone under boss Aitor Karanka (right) and are mulling over the potential disbandment of an academy that has just developed £25m starlet Jude Bellingham. None of it is pretty. Neither is the picture of Armageddon that the former left-back paints.
“I don’t feel the club belongs to the people of the city of Birmingham anymore,” he said, “I feel we’re part of something that really doesn’t matter to someone, somewhere.
“I’m not a very clever person who understands balance sheets but I understand debt and when I look at the amount we have, I think it’s frightening.
“And if we are talking about people thousands of miles away who don’t care about us, then maybe the club will disappear. There is no transparency.
“By providing none, the owners are betraying the club and the name of the city. I get angry and upset – but I don’t feel upset for myself.
“I’m 71-years-old now. I’ve had my time, I’ve done my thing. But when I look at my kids, grandkids and
Birmingham City supporters, what have they got to look forward to? What can they expect?
“There were very good people at Birmingham City. But it’s hanging precariously. I fear for it, I really do.”
As far as glory days go, Pendrey was a part of them.
In the early to mid-70s, the country might have been struggling, but with boy wonder Trevor Francis and a front line that included Bob Latchford and Bob Hatton, the Blues were enjoying themselves.
Pendrey said: “Trevor was in his pomp. Of course, he had Bob Latchford and Bob Hatton around him, proper players. The rest of us were steady Eddies really.
“Trevor was the catalyst. He was an exceptional player.
“He was the cherry on the cake and that filtered down to the rest of us. He was at one level, we were on another.
“But together, we were dragging in crowds of over 40,000 regularly. There was a tremendous camaraderie in those days between the players and the spectators. The club had a pub quiz team, organised by the local pink paper, the Sports’ Argus, and it consisted of myself, Gordon Taylor, Alan Campbell and Malcolm Page.
“You can’t imagine that now, can you?”
What could have seen the club smash through a glass ceiling was that semi- final against Fulham. Pendrey said: “I won’t ever forget that night at Maine Road.
“I can still see the ball bobbling over the line, even now. I was heartbroken.
“It was a turning point for the club. And not in a good way. Perhaps it did start a slide.”