In the 21st century, Birmingham City have enjoyed some ‘Joys and Sorrows’ as their song goes but the fans of the club have always managed to ‘Keep right on to the end of the road’.

Having seen their club get promoted, relegated, win the League Cup and venture into Europe, it has been very difficult for me to pick my best XI squad for the Blues.

Is this the best ever Birmingham City XI?

However, going on personal opinion, I have managed to pick out a team which I believe has some of the best performers in there from over the recent years.

Some of the players in the team have been put in there purely because of their legendary status, but others have been put into my team because they were truly fantastic players.

I have decided to start with an unconventional 4-3-3 formation which is one that Birmingham hasn’t deployed over many of the past few seasons but I believe it is one that allows me to fit in the best players. So here it goes.

PRESS NEXT PAGE BELOW TO SEE THE BIRMINGHAM XI

Ben Foster

In goal, I have picked Ben Foster. It was a tough choice this one because there have been some brilliant goalkeepers at St Andrews over the past couple of seasons.

Foster is the goalkeeper in this XI

 

However, when Foster played out of his gloves in the League Cup final against Arsenal in 2011, there was no doubt that he was going down in the history books.

After getting Man of The Match in that game, Foster has always been a keeper that will stay in the minds of Birmingham fans and for that reason, the England international just had to be in my team.

Stephen Carr

At right-back we have Stephen Carr. This man is legendary around Birmingham and was one of the best leaders of men that the club has ever seen.

I have picked him because he took the club to the League Cup final as captain and he lifted the trophy.

Carr makes the cut

The defender now even has his own chant that the fans love bellowing out after his actions at Villa Park one season.

The full-back was never afraid to show his emotions when he was playing and for that reason, the right back was needed in my team.

Curtis Davies

The centre back partnership was a very tough one to choose as there have been so many good centre backs.

Firstly I chose Curtis Davies. He was never afraid to get stuck in where it was needed and you could always see his passion when he was playing.

Davies is the first centre back in the XI

Now at Hull City, Davies was part of the European tour that took Blues to new heights and Davies coped with everything that was thrown at it.

When he left, many fans were sad to see him leave but for his heroics in Europe, Davies was never going to be left out of my team.

Paul Robinson

Moving on, the second centre back in my best XI is Paul Robinson.

The defender is still currently in and out of the team but he is getting a bit old now and the young guns are coming through.

Robinson is in the team

 

However, the former West Brom defender single handily carried the Blues last season in what was a terrible term for the West Midlands club under former boss Lee Clark, now at Blackpool.

On the final day when Paul Caddis scored that incredible equaliser against Bolton Wanderers, you were able to see the passion of Robinson and for his passion alone, Robinson was never going to miss out on a spot in my team.

Martin Grainger

The final defensive slot has to go to left back Martin Grainger.

One of the best moments that Grainger had in a Birmingham City shirt was when he scored a free kick against Manchester United.

Grainger is the left back in the XI

I remember listening to that game on the radio and then watching the goal later on in the evening and thinking that he was one of the best left backs I have seen in a long time.

It was a difficult choice for a left back because David Murphy could have quite easily slotted in there but for me because of that goal against Man United, Grainger has to complete my back line

Sebastian Larsson

Midfield was always going to be a difficult area to choose from but I have selected my top three midfielders that I think fit the bill the best.

Firstly, I have chosen Sebastian Larsson. There were two iconic goals which earned Larsson his place in my best XI.

Larsson is in the Blues best XI

 

The first was in a 2-0 win against Sheffield Wednesday when he was on loan from Arsenal. He ran the length of the pitch before slotting under the keeper.

The second goal was against Tottenham Hotspur and he hit it from all of 30 yards and it flew into the top right hand corner in the 90th minute which saw the Blues win 3-2.

For these two goals alone, Seb Larsson has to go into my team.

Lee Bowyer

One of the other midfielders has to be Lee Bowyer. As well as scoring vitally important goals in the league, Bowyer will always be remembered for his half volley finish against West Ham United in the semi-final of the Carling Cup when Blues won in extra time 3-1 (4-3 on agg.)

 

Bowyer was excellent during his time at St Andrews

As the ball dropped to him on the edge of the box, Bowyer ran on to it and smashed it over the head of Mark Noble on the post and that was the start of the brilliant come back.

Similar to other people in my team, for that goal alone, Lee Bowyer makes my team.

Darren Carter

Finally, the last midfielder is Darren Carter.

Like a lot of my team, his appearance in the squad hinges on one pivotal goal in a Birmingham City shirt.

Carter has to make the Blues XI

 

His penalty sent the Blues into the Premier League and caused hysterical celebrations amongst management, players and fans alike.

Purely for the fact that he scored the goal that send the Blues into the Premier League, Darren Carter makes my team.

Stern John

Moving into the final third of my team now and once again, it was a difficult choice on what strikers to choose.

 

The first striker is Stern John and once again it is hinged on a goal that went down in Birmingham City history.

John scored some key goals for the Blues

It was at Villa Park and it was in the 93rd minute, and the ball rolled across the box and Stern John was there to lift the ball into the roof of the net to grab a dramatic equaliser that send Blues fans home happy and Villa fans home in dismay.

Therefore, John makes my Birmingham City best XI.

Mikael Forssell

My second striker out of the three that I picked is Mikael Forssell.

When the striker arrived at the club from Chelsea, it took him a while to settle in but when he finally found his feet, the Finnish international was a very prolific striker for the Blues of Birmingham.

forssell

Scoring important goals at important times as well as a hat-trick against Spurs on the final day of the season, Forssell will always be one of the first strikers in any Birmingham City XI no matter what era, so for that reason, the striker needed to be in my team.

Christophe Dugarry

Finally, the last striker to complete my team is Christophe Dugarry.

The French World Cup winner arrived at Blues and immediately burst into action. I can remember him scoring a glorious free-kick against Sunderland at St Andrews.

dugarry

That freekick started something that Blues fans will never forget, a brilliant relationship and a football player who just wanted to play for the cluc.

His hunger and determination to produce the best he could for the team has earned him the last spot in my best XI for Birmingham City.