A disappointing 2007/08 season saw Birmingham City relegated from the Premier League after just one season, but in 2008/09 The Blues finished in second place on 83 points and made an instant return to top-flight football.
The campaign started with a Kevin Phillips 93rd minute winner against Sheffield United in what would prove to be a crucial win over their eventual promotion rivals. The Blades were hot on the heels of Birmingham all season and finished just three points behind them.
An emphatic start to the season saw Birmingham lose just one of their 13 opening games. They also finished the season strongly, losing just one of their last 11 games and ensuring they kept their promotion spot. After the first game, The Blues never fell below third place; proving just how solid their season was.
In Alex Mcleish’s first full season in charge, he was not afraid to transform the team as he signed seven players and a further nine of loan. 30 players played a role in Birmingham’s promotion season, but where are they now?
Mehdi Nafti
Originally signed on-loan in 2005 from Racing Santander, Mehdi Nafti proved to be a useful player at St Andrew’s as he made over 80 appearances for the club. The Tunisia international had a difficult 08/09 season, making only 11 league appearances and Nafti left after the campaign. He signed for Greek team Aris FC before moving to Spain once again in 2011, playing a part in Real Valladolid’s promotion season to La Liga. In 2012 he signed with fellow Spanish second-tier club Murcia and a season later with Cadiz CF, his third Segunda Division team and where he would finish his career after Cadiz cancelled his contract. This year, the African Cup of Nations winner landed his first managerial job at Spanish third-tier club Marbella.
Quincy Owusu-Abeyie
Dutch-born Owuse-Abeyie was signed on loan from Spartak Moscow for the first half of the season with the option to sign him permanently in January. However, McLeish did not extend the former Arsenal youngster’s contract. Owuse-Abeyie played 21 games during his loan and scored a couple of important goals against Derby County and Cardiff City. He went on loan elsewhere in English football at Cardiff City and Premier League Portsmouth and was signed on a permanent deal in 2010 in Qatar at Al-Sadd after the Qatari club paid Pompey £500,000 to terminate the loan early. He enjoyed a loan spell at Malaga before signing for Greek giants Panathinaikos.
His three year stay in Greece was over after his contract ended and he signed for Portuguese club Boavista after an unsuccessful trial at Crystal Palace. He was released by Boavista and, after another tough search to find a club, he was signed by and currently plays for Dutch club NEC Nijmegen in the Eredivisie. Owusu-Abeyie switched alliances from the Netherlands to Ghana in 2008 and has gained 18 caps for the Black Stars, but constantly moving clubs and never holding his position has meant he hasn’t played for Ghana since 2011.
Liam Ridgewell
Bexleyheath-born Ridgewell is a well-known name in English football as the defender has nearly 300 Premier League appearances under his belt. Ridgewell signed for The Blues from rivals Aston Villa for £2 million in 2007, becoming the first player since Des Bremner in 1984 to complete the switch between the pair. His fine performances won over doubters and he captained Birmingham City on numerous occasions.
The former England U21 international played a huge role in promotion, making 36 appearances. Ridgewell was a Birmingham player for five seasons and made 170 appearances. in 2012 he moved for an undisclosed fee to West Brom Albion and was released in 2014. He then made a surprise move to USA and was signed as a Portland Timbers designated player, meaning he is exempt from the MLS salary cap. The American schedue meant he could go on loan during the off-season, and did so at Wigan Athletic and Brighton & Hove Albion. Ridgewell has been hugely successful in Oregon, being named in the 2014 MLS All-Star team and in 2015 won the MLS Cup.
