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Beesotted Contributor Ian Westbrook gives us the full run-down on our big rivals from the 90s Birmingham City prior to the big game this weekend

HOW ARE THEY DOING?

Birmingham have made what could be called a steady start to their season after avoiding relegation by the skin of their teeth last season.

They are level on points with Brentford, but just below us on goal difference after one win, one draw and one defeat from their first three games.

City started with a 2-0 defeat at Middlesbrough. They followed that with a 1-0 win over Brighton and then on Tuesday a 2-2 draw against Ipswich, in which they led twice.

The fact that they are in the Championship at all is a minor miracle given the way they ended the last campaign – literally seconds away from relegation to League One.

Needing at least a draw at Bolton to survive, they were 2-1 down with three of six minutes of injury-time remaining when defender Paul Caddis headed home in a scramble to preserve their status.

This is the Blues’ fourth consecutive season in the Championship following relegation from the Premier League in 2011.

They have been an ever-present in the top two divisions since pipping us to promotion in 1995 when they topped Division Two (now League One) and we finished second in – the only season when only (typically for us) one team was promoted automatically from that division.

WHO’S THE GAFFER?

Lee Clark is now in his third season in charge at St Andrews, having taken over as manager in the summer of 2012.

Clark was previously manager of Huddersfield, leading them into the League One play-offs in successive seasons and also presiding over a new Football League record of 43 unbeaten games during his time in charge.

He was sacked by the club in February 2012 when they were fourth in the Division One table. His successor Simon Grayson then went on to lead the Terriers to promotion that season.

Clark had a 16-year playing career in which he played more than 500 games for Newcastle (two spells), Sunderland and Fulham. He also won 11 caps for the England under-21 team.

THEIR LAST VISIT

Saturday will be Birmingham’s first visit to Griffin Park since a Division Two (now League One) game in October 1994.

Brentford were fourth in the table and City were ninth but it was the visitors who went away with all three points.

A heavy rainstorm, similar to the one at Dagenham last week, hit Griffin Park shortly before half-time and during that time Mark Ward gave City the lead.

Peter Shearer doubled the lead after the break before Paul Stephenson’s shot deflected in off Ward in the 83rd minute to set up a grandstand finish. Brian Statham almost grabbed a last-minute equaliser but City held out for a 2-1 win.

The Bees failed to beat Birmingham on any of their five games in TW8 in the 1980s and 1990s.

Our last home win over them came in March 1954 when we triumphed 2-0.

Brentford team v Birmingham 1994: Dearden, Statham, Grainger, Westley, Ashby, Harvey, Hutchings (Mundee), Smith, Taylor, Forster, Stephenson.

Att: 7,779.

MEMORABLE MATCH

OCTOBER 26, 2010 – BIRMINGHAM 1-1 BRENTFORD AET (Birmingham won 4-3 on penalties)

Brentford suffered an agonising exit from the Carling Cup on only our second appearance in the fourth round.

Sam Wood volleyed the Bees into a 68th minute lead in front of thousands of travelling Bees fans.

A place in the quarter-finals for the first time in our history was just seconds away when we lost possession outside our own penalty area.

City counter-attacked and the evergreen Kevin Phillips broke Bees hearts by snatching an equaliser.

There were no goals in extra-time and the match went to penalties.

Brentford goalkeeper Richard Lee had been the hero in the shoot-out against Everton in the previous round but could not repeat his heroics.

City led 3-2 in the shoot-out when Michael Spillane missed for the Bees. Lee Bowyer then fired his kick over the bar and Lewis Grabban scored to tie things up at 3-3.

Stephen Carr scored for City but Craig Woodman’s kick was saved by Maik Taylor and the Bees were out.

Brentford: Lee, O’Connor, Woodman, Osborne, Legge, Bean, Spillane, Weston (Simpson 83), Wood, MacDonald (Hunt 101), Alexander (Grabban 75). Unused subs: Royce, McCracken, Balkestein, Diagouraga

Att: 15,166.

BEES CONNECTIONS & DANGER MEN

Combining the Bees Connections and Danger Men sections, as they are one and the same this Saturday.

Clayton Donaldson returns to Griffin Park after a successful three years in which his prodigious workrate and goalscoring ultimately helped us to win promotion.

Although he did not leave in the best way, with a new contract on the table waiting for his signature with terms agreed that he surprisingly decided against signing at the last minute, he will be fondly remembered for his work on and off the field – especially for the club’s Community Sports Trust.

At least Messrs Button, McCormack, Bidwell, Tarkowski and Craig will know what to expect from him.

Donaldson’s main weakness at Brentford was his poor conversion rate of one-on-one chances – but he overcame that on Tuesday when scoring one for City against Ipswich – his second goal in a blue shirt.

DID YOU KNOW?

Birmingham’s St Andrews home was said to be under a gypsy curse for 100 years.

The story goes that a band of gypsies was moved off the land which was used to build the stadium and that they put a century-long curse on the ground.

The first match played there on Boxing Day 1906 was delayed by an hour while snow was cleared from the pitch and during the Second World War, the main stand was accidentally burnt down.

The curse was said to have been lifted on Boxing Day 2006 and five years later the club won its first major honour when they beat Arsenal in the League Cup final – having beaten Brentford on penalties on the way to Wembley as mentioned earlier.

You can watch Brentford and Birmingham City fans discussing the match LIVE on TV at 1pm Saturday pre-match .. from the pub … during the Ipswich v Norwich half time break …

Ian Westbrook
@ianwestbrook