I PLAYED A BLINDER
Shrewsbury skipper Mat dressed as his TV hero.. and now aims to shred the Hammers Cup dreams
BRUMMIE club captain Mat Sadler has told Shrewsbury to beat West Ham – by order of the Peaky Blinders.
Ex-Birmingham City defender Sadler dressed up as gangster Tommy Shelby for the Shrews’ Christmas party.
And he bears more than a passing resemblance to Irish actor Cillian Murphy (right), who plays the lead character in the hit BBC series.
The show depicts the often brutal life of the Shelby family in the 1920s, around the area of Small Heath, which is near Birmingham’s St Andrew’s ground.
The tough gang got their nickname as they were famed for stitching razors into the peaks of their caps.
Sadler adores the show and will have League One Town up for the fight tomorrow against Premier League Hammers in the FA Cup. The 32-year-old, who came through the ranks at Birmingham, said: “I’m loved for the Peaky Blinders look at the moment, at least that is the striking resemblance I prefer to be told.
“My missus loves the Tommy Shelby character and, for a little while, I was forced to have a similar haircut to him.
“I absolutely love the show, it is fantastic what they have done there.
“But the people in the programme definitely aren’t from Birmingham, as I can see through their accents being a local.
“A couple of months ago, I asked one of the Birmingham City staff to see if they could have a word about a part in the fourth series, which has just gone. I’ve not heard anything but my phone is always ready.”
Sadler describes the Peaky Blinders as “dodgy criminals”, who look after each other.
He says Shrewsbury’s squad is very tight-knit too, under highly-rated boss Paul Hurst, as they seek to upset the odds both in the league and cup.
The defender said: “Without a doubt, this Shrewsbury team look after each other, which sounds quite gangster.
“That sounds knee-high tackle territory on a pitch, but it is not that. There’s a togetherness about the group and a grittiness, which we have needed.
“We work as hard as we can for each other, and want to succeed for and with each other. When you have that, it goes a long way. That is what will stand us in good stead.”
Tomorrow’s game is a 10,000 sell-out and the club – unbeaten since November 25 and riding high in League One – will bank £144,000 from TV money. They have also sold shirt-sleeve advertising, and brought in LED adverts for the touchline, to boost their coffers.
Sadler added: “The town is behind us and there is a buzz. It has been a good Christmas period and first-half of the season, which allows us to attack this game as a free hit.
“I am guessing the cameras are here because they like to think there could be a shock on the cards. They want an upset and it is over to us on Sunday to try to produce a result.
“But West Ham have had an upturn in fortunes since the new manager has come in. David Moyes used to play for Shrewsbury and he will be wanting to win the game.”