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Birmingham fans goad coach full of West Brom fans; Mejbri goal stops planned on-pitch protest

Birmingham fans goad a coach full of West Brom fans after a superb goal from Hannibal Mejbri stops any planned on-pitch protest.

Hannibal Mejbri stunned with his assist and goal that earned the Blues a 2-0 victory over the Baggies. This was the Blues’ first home win since 2023.

Manchester United’s on-loan midfielder took only 10 minutes to get his side in front, turning the atmosphere from an expected negative to a positive.

He scored a stunning free-kick from 35 yards out. David Button, West Brom’s goalkeeper, was deceived by the fake cross.

Mejbri then curved in a corner for Krystian Bielik to head home. The Blues midfielder beat Button to it to put misery on West Brom.

Birmingam’s win moves them within six points in the play-off spots heading into Saturday’s action. John Eustace’s side is now 10 points above the zone of relegation.

West Brom, who celebrated Carlos Corberan’s midweek contract renewal in celebration of rumours about a Leeds move, missed out on the chance to climb to fifth.

Birmingham supporters marched from the city centre to St Andrew’s, protesting against Birmingham Sports Holdings Limited (BSHL) owners. However, they were given at least an early goal to calm their anger, which quite frankly held off any fans running onto the pitch at the break to take a stand, with stewards and security dotted around the pitch and advertising boards without a gap.

Supporters demand change at the top of the club during protests against owners Birmingham Sports Holdings (BSHL) for more than a year with fans holding marches before the club’s home games during the second half of last season after a social media campaign which launched in January 2022 and the hashtag #BSHLOUT to express their frustration with the current regime.

Fans are disappointed that negotiations with potential new owners have been in vain, it was finally announced that Maxco would not take over the club after months of talks. Paul Richardson, a local businessman and Blues fan, and Maxi Lopez, a former footballer, were among those who made the announcement.

They had been leading Maxco’s consortium with constant talks with Blues current owners BSHL through the autumn and into the winter, but eventually pulled out of any deal.

Janaury saw the Blues in discussions with Jeremy Dale, a former Motorola and Microsoft executive, about investing in the club. However, no further developments have been made.

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As expected, fans marched to St Andrew’s prior to the kick-off against the Baggies.

The march began at 6:30pm from the Bull Ring Tavern in Digbeth to the Kop carpark at St. Andrew’s. The club released a statement on Wednesday urging fans not the enter the field of play as part of any protest against the owners.

Part of the statement, read: “The Club supports the right to safe protest and recognises the frustrations that have led to groups and individuals exploring options to express their personal feelings.

“The safety of supporters attending St. Andrew’s remains a priority and so it is necessary to highlight the dangers of attempting to enter the field of play, particularly via the lower tiers of the Tilton Road stand and Kop stand.

“To be clear, supporters are not permitted to enter the lower tiers of the Tilton Road and Kop stands. Whilst covered, they remain an active construction site and carry a substantial risk of injury should spectators attempt to enter this area.

“The advertising banners currently covering the lower tiers would not support the weight of a supporter and are only in place to protect the exposed scaffolding beneath. Impact from landing on the scaffolding from the height of the fencing which borders the lower tiers, could result in serious injury.

“Furthermore, the Club wishes to remind spectators that entering the field of play is a criminal offence and could lead to Football Banning Orders or civil stadiums bans, with two supporters identified who encroached onto the pitch during the Sky Bet Championship match with Preston North End subject to sanctions.

“Finally, Birmingham City reiterates its stance of supporting the right for safe protest, however, any demonstration should not jeopardise the safety of supporters, players, staff or match officials.”

“Everyone’s got a right to protest,” Eustace said ahead of the West Brom clash in his pre-match press conference.

“Everyone protesting is doing it because they love the football club, and that’s up to them. As long as it’s in a safe way and doesn’t affect the 90 minutes – for me as a head coach, as long as everyone is safe and they protest in the right way, that’s all I can ask for.

“I understand that these magnificent Birmingham City fans love the football club and they care deeply about it. What’s happened has happened, but from my point of view as a head coach all I can do is prepare the team properly. The fans have been absolutely fantastic up to now and the connection with the players is very special. That’s helping us with a difficult season,” Eustace continued.

Birmingham midfielder Hannibal Mejbri speaking to Sky Sports Football:

“It was a great game first, a good derby. I had the chance to score and I’m very happy. The atmosphere was really nice, I just have to enjoy the moment.

“There was no message [to shoot for the free-kick], the only message was in my head. I saw the goalkeeper was too high so I acted like I was going to cross so I shot.

“We are a big family. When someone needs help, we are always there. When things get hard, we stick together.

“I’m sure [Erik ten Hag] has Sky, but I just need to focus until the end of the season and we will see what happens in the summer.”

Birmingham City manager John Eustace speaking to Sky Sports:

“I’m so proud of the group of players. It was a really difficult day with the protests. It just showed the character of the group, it’s a special group. We were favourites for relegation at the start of the season, we signed a lot of loan players and have young, old players. They most important want to fight and scarp for each other and you could see that tonight.

“Last week, we said we got it wrong at half-time at Swansea. We put things right in the second half. Today, we got it right and set pieces win games. Hannibal works day in, day out at set pieces and we are grateful that he does.

“These are fantastic fans, all through the season so far. I’ve said from day one that the connection between players and fans are the most important thing for me. We’ve had difficult moments but they’ve given 100 per cent and I’m grateful for that and so are the players.

“We just take each day as it comes. I know it’s cliché but in the Championship we can’t get too high with the highs and low with the lows. We’ve just had five straight defeats and then two [wins] in a row. We’ve got another home game against Cardiff, we’ll see where that takes us.

“Hannibal has come in, a young 19-year-old boy in his first loan. He had a fantastic start then had a bit of dip, he’s come back and his performances have been excellent of late.”

West Brom manager Carlos Corberan speaking to Sky Sports:

“I think the two goals had a massive impact in the middle of the game. They started the game aggressive and they surprised us in the first goal.

“The intensity in the second balls, they were playing more aggressive. They were better than us in that.

“[After] half-time we tried to play more intensity in defence and more calm in attack to find more situations to progress. The game was interrupted in the first half and in the start of the second half. They were one level better than us.

“I think [the first goal] was a strange goal. In football, you can’t be surprised by these actions. We were waiting for a cross and he made a finish. It was a good connection.

“The first important thing, if we win one game it is not by luck. If we lose a game it is not by luck. We didn’t do well in the individual and collective point of view. The first thing we are going to do is take responsibility and hope to play better in the next one.”

This is what social media users said as Birmingham fans goad coach full of West Brom fans and the Hannibal Mejbri goal stops a planned on-pitch protest…

@Blues1Connor: Birmingham fans have lost their bottle 10 years ago and previous everyone would of been on that pitch before kick off. No wonder teams can now stroll through digbeth and take the piss. Actually gutted, we will win 2 to lose 10 in a row now then back to square 1 😴 #bcfc

@talkbirmingham_: I’ve been negative with the pitch invasions that didn’t happen but what a win. I had my doubts with Eustace when he was first appointed but what a manager ! Top bloke too. #bcfc

@samcook90_: Nice pitch invasion lads, whole attitude changes when you’re winning 😂

@danperks05: Brilliant day on the pitch, off the pitch gotta do more to get the poison out, up the Eustace and up the blues 🔵⚪️ #bcfc #BSHLOUT

@PSnake80: Brilliant but let’s never mention a pitch invasion again 🤣

@ewan_smfc: Great win just embarrassing how we hyped up a pitch invasion so much

@wbaIiam: What a pitch invasion, fair play lads you showed your owners who’s boss 👏👏 #BCFC

@Mitchwba_: What a pitch invasion from the blues it has to be said #BCFC

@harvey_brfc: Where’s this brum pitch invasion?? Lads have been going on about it for weeks all to not do it 😂😂😂😂 #BCFC

@nate74530867: how are they planning on storming the pitch they’ll need climbing gear to just get to the bottom 🤣

@DexWBA__: Storm the pitch but only if they’re losing 😴 #bcfc

@Rees_wba: Any chance of you blues lot getting this pitch invasion started, so I don’t have to watch this shit anymore 😂 #wba #bcfc

@Weston01814539: Where’s this pitch invasion we’ve been talking about for weeks then

@George141414: When you going on the pitch 🎶 #BCFC

@AidanP93: Protest was never going to happen once winning unfortunately and that’s the way it goes, us football fans are fickled but the players deserved our support from the stands tonight after that performance #Bcfc #BSHLOUT

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