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Birmingham City Fans Verdict: A Home Win, At Last

The fans finally had a home win to celebrate on Tuesday evening; here’s how they reacted to it.

PA Images via Getty Images

The avid Fans’ Verdict readers (I know you do exist, somewhere) will have noticed that there was no edition after the Preston North End game at the weekend - the first one I haven’t been able to do all season and what a game to miss. The first win of the year, Lucas Joao being Lucas Joao and the small matter of Veljko Paunovic leaving and Paul Ince coming in on an interim basis.

Anyway, it’s back now and I finally get to round up the reaction to a win - three entire points! Count them! In all seriousness, it’s been a tortuous few months but things have started to finally look a little rosier recently. It’s crazy what a couple of wins - and the exit of a vastly unpopular manager - can do for fan morale.

Back-to-back wins for the first time since October - it’s been a seriously long time coming, hasn’t it? Tuesday’s performance was by no means perfect, but it was such a big improvement on what we’ve had to endure so far this year.

Here’s how the fans reacted to the key talking points...

Lucas Joao

How much have missed this guy? Answer: a lot.

On his day, when he’s fully in the mood, he is one of the best in the league. He’s strong, technically gifted and so instrumental to the way we play. But, most importantly of all, as he’s showed since he came back into the team, he’s a goalscorer.

He will win us games if we keep him fit and firing, as he did on Tuesday evening with a lovely finish to open the scoring. He’s always been a fan favourite, and the fans loved his performance on Tuesday...

Andy Yiadom

He may not have scored, he didn’t even manage to get a clean sheet, but Andy Yiadom was my, and many other Loyal Royals’, man of the match on Tuesday evening.

Full backs tend to be underappreciated in a team in my opinion, and Yids is no different in that. We have been seriously lucky to have a player of his quality, attitude and reliability for nearly three years now.

Another one that’s out of contract in the summer so who knows what his future holds, but while he’s still here and putting in performances like that, the fans will continue to show him love like this...

Back-to-back wins

Who thought we’d be saying that just a couple of weeks ago? Back-to-back wins. Combine that with the 0-0 at Peterborough United (which was rightly met with utter fury on social media) and that’s three games unbeaten. It’s crazy how much two victories can change the context of things.

Everyone to a man was superb on Tuesday. I’ve highlighted Joao and Yiadom above, but I could so have easily spoke about any of Drinkwater (yes, Drinkwater), Swifty, Rino, Hein or McIntyre.

We’re by no means there yet, but a win is exactly what the doctor ordered against the Blues, and the fans loved it...

Conclusion

A really, really big win. I am not getting ahead of myself because we’re still in trouble, but the last two games will give the players the world of confidence, and it’s boosted morale among the fans too, which is arguably even more important.

The most important thing in the last two games, for me anyway, have been the last few minutes. How many times have we seen this team concede and then concede again and again and again this season? Heads dropping has been a huge problem for us this season. But to see the two games out the way we have done is massive.

Onto Blackpool.

URZ