The last time Birmingham City won at the Hawthorns, Steve Bruce was on the touchline, West Brom found themselves on the wrong end of a 3-2 scoreline, while a blue-clad centre-forward offered a timely reminder of his talents after a sluggish start to the new campaign.
Not much has changed, then.
It was Scott Hogan in the Emile Heskey role on Wednesday night; that razor-sharp hat-trick ensuring Birmingham’s number nine mustered more goals in just 57 minutes at the Hawthorns than across his previous eight Championship appearances combined.
But, Heskey aside, who else was part of the Birmingham side who tasted success at the home of the Baggies nearly 20 years ago?
Who played for Birmingham City in 2005’s 3-2 West Brom win?
Maik Taylor
There will be a generation of Birmingham City fans who didn’t know life without Maik Taylor between the sticks. The long-serving shot-stopper, now 51 years of age, made over 200 league appearances for Brum between 2003 and 2010, arriving when Robbie Savage was still plying his trade at St Andrews and departing with a League Cup winners’ medal.
Mario Melchiot
Turned into something of a sacrificial lamb following Chelsea’s Roman Abramovic takeover, Melchiot arrived at Birmingham as a free-agent in 2004 and quickly made himself a fans’ favourite in England’s second city.
“I will always owe respect to the club,” Melchiot said after leaving for Rennes in 2006. “I was always proud to wear that shirt. The reaction when I walked up to the fans on that last day (of the season) at Bolton gave me goosebumps. That’s why I played for Birmingham.
Matthew Upson
One of an impressive away of internationals who represented the Blues in the mid-2000s, Upson might be best remembered for for his time at West Ham United but it was at Birmingham where he really established himself as a centre-half of Premier League quality.
Kenny Cunningham
Alongside goalkeeper Taylor, it almost felt as Cunningham’s name was scribed in indelible ink onto the Birmingham City team sheet. Formerly the captain of the Republic of Ireland national team, this natural-born leader retired in 2007 with an enviable collection of 72 caps under his belt.
Jamie Clapham
The dependable left-back set up the first of Heskey’s two goals on that September afternoon 17 years ago with a pinpoint cross from the flank. One of the more underrated players of Birmingham’s Premier League past.
Jermaine Pennant
Joining Liverpool for around £7 million after Birmingham were relegated in 2006, Pennant would take on AC Milan in the Champions League final just 12 months later. A lively and vivacious character on and off the pitch, Pennant carved out a solid if unspectacular career after leaving the Midlands.
Nicky Butt
Reunited with former Manchester United captain Steve Bruce at St Andrews, Butt would add valuable experience and guile to Birmingham’s midfield after joining on loan from Newcastle for the 2005/06 season.
Jiri Jarosik
Like Butt, Jarosik arrived at Birmingham on a short-term deal but certainly made his mark. One of the Chelsea-owned playmaker’s five Brum goals came away at West Brom. He even ended the 2005/06 campaign as the club’s joint top scorer in all competitions.
Only relegation prevented Birmingham from turning Jarosik’s loan into a permanent transfer.
Damien Johnson
A former captain and Birmingham’s Player of the Year for 2006; the long-serving Johnson certainly proved to be excellent value for money at just £50,000. The 56-time Northern Ireland international is now a coach at former club Blackburn Rovers.
Mikael Forssell
Look up ‘cult hero’ in the dictionary and you’ll see a picture of Mikael Forssell. This blonde bombshell of a centre-forward wasn’t the most prolific of goalscorers. But his penchant for the laser-like precision, plus that iconic hat-trick against Tottenham Hotspur, will stick in the memory of many a Blues fanatic.
Forssell even won a Premier League Player of the Month award during his time Birmingham.
“(I hold my time at Birmingham) extremely close,” the fab Finn said back in 2018. “This is the club, besides Chelsea, where I experienced some of the best parts of my footballing career. I am very grateful to have spent so much time there.
“I very much hope that Birmingham can find a way back into the Premier League in the coming years.”
Emile Heskey
Scorer of two goals during that five-goal thriller against the Baggies in 2005, the £6 million fee Birmingham paid to sign Heskey from Liverpool made the England stalwart their most expensive-ever acquisition at the time.
“This is an absolutely fantastic signing for the club,” Bruce said at the time. “He is still only 26 years old, and has 40 England caps to his name”
Picking up both the Player of the Season and the Player’s Player of the Season award at the end-of-season gongs 12 months later – while finishing with 11 goals in all competitions – ensured Heskey certainly repaid Birmingham’s sizeable investment with interest.
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