BLUES BROTHERS
Chelsea & Birmingham
THIS article has nothing to do with Maurizio Sarri’s future, whether Kepa Arrizabalaga will ever be substituted, Eden
Hazard’s potential summer move or Roman Abramovich’s inability to get to a game.
It’s about the long-term relationship between two clubs that share the nickname ‘the Blues’ – Birmingham City and Chelsea.
Chelsea were formed on March 10, 1905, some 30 years after Birmingham City were founded as Small Heath Alliance.
After applying for membership of the Southern League and failing to be accepted due to objections from Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham, they were elected to Division Two on May 29, 1905 along with Hull City, Leeds City and Clapton Orient.
It is a little known fact that in that inaugural season Chelsea signed three Small Heath players - Jimmy Windridge, Jimmy Robertson and Bobby McRoberts.
McRoberts was Chelsea’s first-ever signing for £100 on April 26, subject to Chelsea being elected to the league. He played in their initial league game in September 1905 against Stockport County. He was used as both a centre-forward and a centre-half.
On November 4, 1905, as Chelsea beat Barnsley 6-0 in a home league match, McRoberts scored the club’s first-ever penalty. He went on to make 104 appearances and scored ten goals.
On retiring, he returned to St Andrew’s to become Birmingham’s gham’s first full-time manager from July
1910 to May 1915.
Windridge signed the day after McRoberts for the princely sum of £190 and his impact was immediate. He scored a hat-trick on his home debut against Blackpool, the first competitive match ever played at Stamford Bridge.
A highly effective but individualistic forward, Windridge was certainly one of the best dribblers of his day. Although obviously skilful, he seemed lazy during his time at Birmingham.
The move south was perhaps aps the best thing he could have done, e, for he thrived in his new surroundings, gs, gained
England honours (scoring seven goals in eight internationals) and hit 58 goals in 152 matches for the ‘Pensioners’ before leaving in November 1911.
Robertson was a slim goal-poacher signed by Chelsea for £50 on the same day as McRoberts and had two years at Stamford Bridge, scoring 21 goals, where he was described as ‘speedy with a deadly shot’.
In that first season, McRoberts made 35 appearances and scored nine goals, Windridge turned out 22 times and netted 16 and Robertson played 18 games and notched 14.
Twenty-eight players were used during that first season, of which 16 were Scots.
The relationship between the two clubs continued over the years. In the mid-60s, Chelsea provided the likes of Barry Bridges, Bert Murray ray and Tony Hateley and then again in the
80s and 90s9 90s when David
Speeedie, Speedie, Player of the Year for Chelsea in 1985, came to St Andrew’s (on loan), alongside players such as Trevor Aylott, Tony Godden, Paul Furlong and Eddie Newton. It was in the period from 2002 to 2006 that Chelsea provided players that helped Birmingham City retain their Premier League - Jesper Gronkjaer, Mario Melchiot, Jiri Jarosik and Mikael Forssell. Gronkjaer cost £2.2million in July 2004 but only scored once in 18 appearances. According to boss Steve Bruce, he found it difficult to play in a struggling team. Birmingham got most of their money back when he moved to Atletico Madrid in December 2004.
At the same time as Gronkjaer arrived at St Andrew’s, Bruce secured Melchiot on a three-year contract. He played 67 times and scored twice before moving to Rennes in France in 2006 after experiencing relegation to the Championship. Forssell joined Birmingham on a threeyear deal for a fee of £3m in the summer of 2005 after spending a loan period at St.Andrew’s in 2003.
In total, he played in 119 games and scored 37 goals, including a perfect hattrick (left foot, right foot, header) against Tottenham in a 4-1 victory in March 2008.
Jarosik was loa loaned to Birmingham for the 2005-06 season. He returned to Stamfo Stamford Bridge in May 2006 w when an option to make the deal permanent wa was not taken up due to the club’s relegation to the Championship. During his time in the Midlands, he m made 32 appearances and scored eig eight goals.
A combine combined ‘Blues’ team? Tony Godde Godden (GK)
Mario Melchi Melchiot, Bobby McRoberts, Mick Bodley, Ed Eddie Newton (Defenders)
Jiri Jarosik, B Bert Murray, Jesper Gronkjaer (Mid (Midfielders)
David Spee Speedie, Barry Bridges, Mikael Forssell Forsse (Strikers)
How about Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola as manager?
As a Birmingh Birmingham fan, I don’t think so…