Thoughts On The Blues with Simon Brew | An independent Birmingham City podcast

After the seemingly neverending international break, finally the EFL Championship is back up and running, with Birmingham City heading over to The Hawthorns for a local derby battle with West Bromwich Albion. A game settled by an August Priske penalty - and a wonder save from Max O'Leary too - wasn't short of talking points. Fortunately, or otherwise, Simon Brew can talk, and does. With a special few words for Don Goodman as well as the Blues chalk up their third win of the season...

Oh lord, where do you start? Middlesbrough were the latest visitors to St Andrews (at Knighthead Park), aiming to go top of the EFL Championship and repeat their performance against Birmingham City from last season. And with August Priske injured, and Luis Vasquez drafted in, they might just have fancied their chances too.But Blues had other ideas. And in a pulsating 3pm Saturday afternoon kickoff, a 2-2 draw ensued, with Liam Millar on top form, the referee absolutely not on top form, and Simon Brew's car parked in a bush somewhere.In the latest Thoughts On The Blues, Simon loads up some cherryade and gets down to work...---MY BIRMINGHAM CITY BOOK (independent!) OUT NOW: www.tinyurl.com/bcfcbookprint for print versionwww.tinyurl.com/bcfcbook for Kindle version version

On Thursday 17th September, Birmingham City held the latest of its Open House sessions at St Andrews (at Knighthead Park.) The big takeaway from the evening was changes to the Sports Quarter project, and that Chris Davies has been sent the picture of himself from the end of the Derby County game. But there was much else to talk about too.Somehow, Simon Brew got a ticket. Taking with him a sizeable bag to collect, er, 'souvenirs' while nobody was looking, here's his report from the evening...---MY BIRMINGHAM CITY BOOK (independent!) OUT NOW: www.tinyurl.com/bcfcbookprint for print versionwww.tinyurl.com/bcfcbook for Kindle version version

Following defeat at Norwich City, Chris Davies took the Blues to Derby County for our second EFL Championship away game on the bounce. This one went better. It went on for hours, granted, but goals from Carlos Vicente and Paik Seung-ho helped us get over Luis Vazquez's aversion to putting the ball into an empty net.Meanwhile, John Eustace looked stern, Christoph Klarer and Phil Neumann must be knackered, and Birmingham City have their second win of the season. In this latest episode, Simon Brew rounds it all up...---MY BIRMINGHAM CITY BOOK (independent!) OUT NOW: www.tinyurl.com/bcfcbookprint for print versionwww.tinyurl.com/bcfcbook for Kindle version version---

Birmingham City took their unbeaten record in the league to Carrow Road, for a midweek EFL Championship fixture against Norwich City. The teamsheet looked thin, with Patrick Roberts and Demarai Gray on the injury list, Alex Cochrane on the bench, Kristoffer Lund getting a start and two goalkeepers in reserve. The game? Well, we went for it, but the Blues hit three key problems. In the latest Thoughts On The Blues, Simon Brew looks at the offside goal, the Norwich double response, and a Kyogo moment for Carlos Vicente as well...Plus: Sky. A few words there.

The first local derby of the season, shifted by Sky Sports to a Sunday lunchtime. Blues found themselves up against Wolverhampton Wanderers, for a lunchtime EFL kick-off where we'd learned ahead of time that Jhon Solis was injured.Were we on the back foot? Initially so when Wolves too the lead. But it all turned into a memorable afternoon at St Andrews (at Knighthead Park), with the emotional return of Tom Wagner, and a frenetic draw that neither side will forget in a hurry. Not just for the debut of Liam Millar, either. Simon Brew rounds everything up. Well, he will do, once he's stopped laughing...---MY BIRMINGHAM CITY BOOK (independent!) OUT NOW: www.tinyurl.com/bcfcbookprint for print versionwww.tinyurl.com/bcfcbook for Kindle version version