Magazine
Published monthly BY BLUES FANS FOR BLUES FANS. This 64 page magazine is the official magazine of Birmingham City Football Club.
Each month the magazine is packed with exclusive behind the scenes interviews, match reports, junior blues, fans forums, and, of course, posters of your favourite players.
APRIL ISSUE 2007
A Championship run-in special edition of BLUES Magazine is in the shops this week with exclusive interviews with Gary McSheffrey, Martin Taylor, Colin Doyle and Rowan Vine, plus a feature on the nail-biting climax to the rollercoaster season.
McSheffrey says he is itching to get back into action and thinks he can come back fully charged for the Championship run-in. “I’ll be raring to go when I get back...Hopefully I can recharge my batteries and have a big impact in the last seven games,” said the Blues winger in a four-page feature. “They were big wins against Cardiff and Derby and they put us in a great position but we’ve still got a lot of work to do.”
McSheffrey, Blues’ top scorer with 16 goals, says he’s added more discipline to his game playing at Blues. “It’s not just about goals, it’s about working hard for the team,” he said. “Playing in midfield has meant I’ve had to be more disciplined in my play. I’m naturally an attack-minded player but I’ve learnt your can’t always bomb forward., you have to remain a solid unit and I think that’s been one of our strengths as a team. I’m still learning but it’s a part of my game which I think is improving.”
Colin Doyle, in his first major interview since winning the Number One shirt from Maik Taylor, says he was surprised to get his chance but he was always confident he could do a good job. “People are saying ‘you’re number one now’ but I just don’t take any notice to be honest. The feedback I have had from the manager and Spinksy (Nigel Spink, the goalkeeping coach) has been positive. They’ve been quite pleased. But praise, or criticism, doesn’t affect me. I just try to do my job the best I can.” The young keeper chats about going out on loan, how he coped when he let in a soft goal in front of the TV cameras, how playing Gaelic football has helped his game and his hopes of breaking into the Republic of Ireland side.
Martin Taylor, having his best season for Blues, says playing week-in, week-out has helped his game improve. And he paid tribute to the Blues fans who have really backed him this season. “It definitely makes a difference when you’ve got all the fans behind you,” he said in a special five-page question and answer session for the magazine. “In recent weeks - for the Sunderland, Derby and Cardiff games - there’s been a great atmosphere. When the fans are in full voice, there’s nothing like it.”
Tiny chats about his years at Blues, the young players who’ve come into the side this season, the spirit on the training ground and how he felt about Matt Upson’s transfer to West Ham.
Rowan Vine says he’s loving life at Blues and thinks his style of play will go down well with Blues fans. “I always pride myself on going out and trying hard and giving 100%. At the end of the day, even if you’ve got two games a week, that’s still only 180 minutes and all that fans are asking is for you to give everything you’ve got.”
Also in BLUES Magazine, BBCWM’s Paul Franks says why he thinks Blues and Sunderland are heading for the Premiership and we go down memory lane to remember all the drama from the 1984-85 season, the last time we gained automatic promotion to the top flight (Yes it was that long ago).
Leyland Daf winner and promotion-winning captain from 1991-92, Ian Clarkson, also recalls his five years at Blues and what life was like playing under four different managers, and we have a special ‘I Was There’ feature on the unforgettable play-off final against Norwich at the Millennium Stadium.
There are superb posters of Fabrice Muamba, Damien Johnson and Nicklas Bendtner, plus all the usual favourites - month in quotes, True Blue, match reports, junior blues and coming up.
All this for £2.95 from the Club shop, your local newsagent or you can order on-line at www.bluesmagazine.co.uk. Better still take advantage of our subscription offer - 12 issues for £29.95, this includes two FREE issues and FREE postage and packaging. Just call 01225 899975 or click HERE
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