those 40+ games he played for them must have been sensational
Birmingham City have decided to retire Bellingham's shirt number
- Thread starter Damien
- Start date
Wow. 
Outside of Bellingham who is their greatest player?
Perhaps so but by that time he won't even remember where Birmingham is..
Trevor Francis
Trevor Francis maybe?
Only works because 22 is a fairly uninspired and obscure number.
Would be utter madness if it was an 8,9 or 10 or something.
Would be utter madness if it was an 8,9 or 10 or something.
That is pure cringe.
He's no Kenny Cunningham
This has really amused me.
Thanks, it's basically the only player that I associate with them.
I thought it was major cringe when I seen it.
However, Jude Bellingham was courted by most top clubs at 16, and knew he was going to be leaving Birmingham within 1-2 season. When he broke into the first team, he could have signed a tribunal and went to another club for a minimal price like £3m or even less. He gave his word to Birmingham that he wouldn't do that to them as he respect them a lot. £20-30m to a club the size of Birmingham's is massive especially with the financial troubles they are in, there was talks of points deduction next season etc. They have been in all sorts of trouble in the last few years. This money has probably saved the club and Bellingham could have easily left for a small fee which was his right but he did an honorable thing by agreeing a contract and allowing Birmingham to get a top fee for him. He had nothing to gain out of it really.
However, Jude Bellingham was courted by most top clubs at 16, and knew he was going to be leaving Birmingham within 1-2 season. When he broke into the first team, he could have signed a tribunal and went to another club for a minimal price like £3m or even less. He gave his word to Birmingham that he wouldn't do that to them as he respect them a lot. £20-30m to a club the size of Birmingham's is massive especially with the financial troubles they are in, there was talks of points deduction next season etc. They have been in all sorts of trouble in the last few years. This money has probably saved the club and Bellingham could have easily left for a small fee which was his right but he did an honorable thing by agreeing a contract and allowing Birmingham to get a top fee for him. He had nothing to gain out of it really.
Weird. Weird.
Did he even help get them into the playoffs?
Only way I could vaguely get my head around it is if there was some unpublicised agreement that he’ll return and take #22 back if Birmingham become a PL team and he flops at Dortmund.
Did he even help get them into the playoffs?
Only way I could vaguely get my head around it is if there was some unpublicised agreement that he’ll return and take #22 back if Birmingham become a PL team and he flops at Dortmund.
There definitely is something in the water in Birmingham..............
(they call roundabouts "islands" as well)
(they call roundabouts "islands" as well)
why stop at the stand? Surely it’s time for the ground to be renamed St Judes
Funnily enough a lot of their fans also mention Christophe Dugarry as being one of their best ever players. He played a whopping 31 games for them, one less than Jude.
Of course he's a club legend, they've just fleeced Dortmund out of 25m.
They're some way off becoming a Premier League team. Finished 20th and failed to win their last 15 games.
What the actual feck is this? Retiring the shirt of a 16 year old? I understand he's a huge talent for his age but he's not a legend there. That's mental.
Just when I thought football couldn't get more desperate.
This is fair enough, he seems to have stuck by them as much as could up to the point where he needed to spread his wings and I'm sure he's left with the blessing from everyone at Birmingham who know he needs to be playing at a higher level. Also it's worth remembering it's Birmingham's shirt number, they can do what they like with it and I have no problem with this, even if from the outside it seems ridiculously excessive.
As bizarre and ridiculous as this is. Why is 4 goals a laughing matter?4 goals
Judging by the responses, I think they'll have to retire the word "tinpot" as well.
I can't even.First that Dortmund reveal video, and now this. He's a fantastically talented young player, but the cringe surrounding him is on another level. Hopefully the fawning over him doesn't go to his head.
They were almost relegated for gods sake.
They simply know he's a flop and will return to Bimingham very soon.
There are many things in football that are called embarrassing flippantly but dear lord this is one of the few which truly is. Seriously what has he done for the club? Managed to get them a few bob? Should we have retired Rooneys number when he left to United then?
He’s not elevated the club to any enormous standard - they were very close to being relegated - he hasn’t commanded that enormous of a fee either.
So what if he becomes a world class player? Is that down to Birmingham and what he achieved there? Somewhat but not entirely. He might never step foot into the club again. He might also get injured tomorrow and never play football ever again and all he will have done is play 45 games in lower league football.
It’s embarassing for the club, Bellingham and all other actual club legends at Birmingham.
He’s not elevated the club to any enormous standard - they were very close to being relegated - he hasn’t commanded that enormous of a fee either.
So what if he becomes a world class player? Is that down to Birmingham and what he achieved there? Somewhat but not entirely. He might never step foot into the club again. He might also get injured tomorrow and never play football ever again and all he will have done is play 45 games in lower league football.
It’s embarassing for the club, Bellingham and all other actual club legends at Birmingham.
Obafemi Martins won them the League Cup in 2011, yet they retire this lads number?
the Jude Bellingham stand has a nice ring to it don’t you think.
Just squeeze the last bit of publicity and attention out of this deal.... It sounds like They’ll be tweeting every time he does anything slightly noteworthy. it’s cringe enough.
Are Dortmund getting the younger brother too? He’s also meant to be really good.
Just squeeze the last bit of publicity and attention out of this deal.... It sounds like They’ll be tweeting every time he does anything slightly noteworthy. it’s cringe enough.
Are Dortmund getting the younger brother too? He’s also meant to be really good.
If this is true it takes tribute to a whole new level. Why stop there? Why not a statue?
There would be no need to make a public spectacle of it if such an agreement existed. I can't imagine there's a massive clamour for the #22 shirt at Birmingham City.
Bellingham City. Do it, change your name if you really loved him so much.
Wow.
Rename the city Bellingham and the people Bellies.
The whole thing is embarrassing.
The fact the lad turned down Utd for an easy time over in Germany just shows for me he’s not the right type of character
Imagine turning a team down because you didn’t think you would get into their side
The fact the lad turned down Utd for an easy time over in Germany just shows for me he’s not the right type of character
Imagine turning a team down because you didn’t think you would get into their side
How is going to a foreign league, foreign country at the age of 16 an easy time? It took character to make that decision, a lot of things to mock about this whole thing, but choosing to go there isn't really one of them for me.
This genuinely rivals Liverpool furloughing their staff in terms of really shit PR decisions...and that threatened people’s livelihoods.
1 season, and he ain’t even that good.
1 season, and he ain’t even that good.
This is true? A little over the top surely. I could understand if they'd got 200m for him.
Never felt older. A 22-year old club legend.
Put in front of Sir Alex. Twice as tall