Adams is the new goal king of the Blues
IN-FORM BIRMINGHAM ACE FOLLOWS IN FRANCIS AND CLARIDGE FOOTSTEPS
What Adams brings the equation to can’t be underestimated – Claridge
CHE Adams is moving closer to a seat next to the man they call God at Birmingham City, Trevor Francis.
Steve Claridge will be there as well, the last two players to score 20 league goals or more in a season for Birmingham.
Francis did it in 1978, Claridge more recently, but even then it was nearly a quarter of a century ago.
Adams, 22, wasn’t even born when Claridge was rattling in the 20 goals that took Birmingham out of third tier football as champions of Division Two in 1994-95.
Four more from Claridge helped win the Football League Trophy and a League Cup penalty gave him 25 for the season.
Francis, Superboy, Superplayer, Super-£1m-sale and still regarded with awe as Birmingham’s Superstar, scored 25 as Birmingham finished 11th, one point behind Manchester United, in the old First Division of 1977-78.
Two more Francis goals came in the FA Cup, plus two in the Anglo- Scottish Cup, giving TF 29 in 48 games.
Francis was to only score four more times for Birmingham before his £1m move to Nottingham Forest 40 years ago this week.
There has been plenty of room for more heroes, but none have stepped forward, Claridge apart, who is still remembered affectionately.
Now, keeping right on as the Birmingham City anthem demands, there is someone in Adams.
The former Sheffield United starlet’s hat-trick in yesterday’s remarkable 4-3 victory at QPR took him to 19 Championship goals
It meant he equalled Paul Devlin’s run of scoring in six successive league games and he’s now looking at Francis’ club-record run of scoring in seven consecutive games.
Record
“I’m not losing any sleep about my record of 20 league goals going,” says Claridge, now managing Salisbury in the Southern League Premier South Division. “I’m not sure adding another one to the 20goal list would do too much harm. But it is heady stuff for the young man, isn’t it? How old is he, 22? What a future, what a time for him. I don’t know about Adams being up there in the record books alongside me, but to get his name next to Trevor Francis, well that would be something.
“From playing for Birmingham City and getting to know the club, I know how regarded Francis still is by the fans.
“What’s he need to equal Trevor in the league, six more? What a target that is.”
Adams could have been in the Premier League with Burnley, Southampton or West Ham now. Leicester and Wolves also had a look. Ten million was offered, but £14-£15m was needed to make a conversation meaningful.
There’s history for Birmingham selling their outstanding talent.
Nathan Redmond, second only to Francis as the club’s youngest player, making his debut at 16, went for £3.2m to Norwich six years ago and Demarai Gray, who debuted at 17, was sold for £3.7m to Leicester three years ago.
With Birmingham’s Financial Fair Play sentence due any day, it would have been a boardroom temptation to cash in.
But Garry Monk, who is managing what was a dysfunctional club so well, called in Adams last Wednesday, had a word before the transfer window shut and the outcome was what we saw last Saturday.
Adams scored a late penalty in the 2-0 win over Forest, stood in front of the massed fans in the Tilton Road end, and bellowed, “I am staying right here.”
More goals between now and May and Adams’ value will rocket even more and then will probably come the big cash-himin moment.
For now, though, Adams stays, a cornerstone in the remarkable feelgood factor that has been built between players and fans.
Birmingham City has always been the working man’s club of the city, compared to the aristocracy that comes with winning the European
Cup at Aston Villa. But there are already mutterings at Villa Park about manager Dean Smith just four months into his reign. Birmingham fans have had more justifiable cause to moan and more often.
It was only 21 months ago that Adams scored the only goal away to Bristol City Birmingham astidon. the last day last season in a 3-1 home win over Fulham to again avoid relegation.
So it’s not been sweetness and light - and they have been there before.
“I came to Birmingham when the Gold brothers took the club over,” says Claridge. “I can remember the general malaise around the place. There were three or four thousand watching. There was an air of despondency.
“When I joined Birmingham it was just after the Christmas and then we got relegated.
“But that time became fantastic, watching the ground being rebuilt around us, averaging 20,000 people, it was a wonderful time for everybody.
“We got back up and that was a big season because there was only one up, a lot of pressure and great memories.
Pressure
“Birmingham is one of those football clubs where I had a great feeling and I think it was replicated.
“If you get the fans on board, as they are doing again now, then like all passionate fans they can turn a game of football into an occasion.
“Adams is saying that he wanted to stay at Birmingham City to give something back after all they have given him. That shows a very mature attitude.
“On the one hand, people can always think the grass is greener somewhere else.
“Adams is having a great time at the moment, but, with all due respect, it’s a short career so he has to find a balance. I don’t think it is a bad thing at the moment to stay put.
“It’s his first big season in terms of scoring a lot of goals and if Adams keeps doing it then his value and choice of clubs is going to go up.
“But the club will have to move towards him in terms of what he is worth financially.
“They have to respect what he’s worth. It’s no good paying Adams £900 a week and valuing him at £10m. If the two can meet financially, then why be in a rush to leave?
“Any team with a 20-goal-aseason striker, then it’s got a chance.
“I keep an eye on Birmingham City. They are eighth in the Championship, Adams is keeping the season alive.
“His goals are keeping another 4,000-5,000 people coming through the gate. How many would come if they were bottom half ?
“What Adams brings to the equation can’t be underestimated.”