Our latest ex-player interview is Paul Tait.

Danny who runs the Midlands Memorabilia website, put me in touch with Paul. The images I have used, have been used with Danny’s permission. They are of images you can buy from his website.

I had a few problems with my phone during the interview but we got there in the end. On was on the phone for nearly two hours with Paul! As we spoke about a lot, I have decided to publish it as two parts.

Across the two parts, Paul talks about his upbringing, playing for the club he supported, his terrible injury, difficulties with certain managers, THAT TEE SHIRT, Bazza, and his plans for the future. Paul was very up front and I enjoyed talking to him.

I hope you enjoy the interview too.

Kev

You’re a Brummy lad Paul, where were you bought up?

I was born in Castle Vale and lived on the estate there.

As a kid, did you always want to be a footballer?

Well yeah. When I was growing up on one of the roughest housing estates in Brum at the time – I played football and caused trouble with the local lads!

How did you get a break into football?

School really. From Castle Vale I went to Yardley and played for the school team and then moved to Stetchford. I then played for a couple of sides and ended up in a side with Brian Small and Matthew Fox. We won everything it was a brilliant side and that was when I got spotted by Blues by Norman Bodell I was about 11. I also went to Villa and various other clubs.

Blues treated me the best. They took me away on First Team trips, sat in the dugout. I used to train with Kevin Ashley and Frainy during the week.

What was that like for you as a youngster?

I didn’t think much about it at the time. I just loved my football. It’s not until you become full time that you realise what it is all about. It totally changes from 13/14 football to 16. It becomes your job then and you realise you have to do what your told and be where you asked to be. You don’t just turn up at training, you become their property.

I found it very difficult to adjust to begin with. i went from Sunday League football to within 9 months, playing in the 1st team. It was too early for me to be honest. At the time we were a poor side and we had no money. There were no role models to look up to. training facilities were terrible. We would be sweeping terraces twice a week. It was hard. Football was secondary at the time.

It wasn’t just me mind, there were a few of us that were thrown into the first team because we didn’t have any money for new players. When you go from youth team football into the first team playing against grown men who had “been around the block,” it was hard. It was a major shock to the system.

It must have been difficult for you as a player in what was probably the club’s lowest point. Especially as you came from the city and knew what it meant.

When you’re playing the local lads probably don’t get so much stick. It was bad. I thing the ground could hold 44,000 at the time, and we were running out to crowds of 4,000 people. We were getting beat, no one to learn from. Also I could remember looking around, thinking, don’t throw your litter there, I’ll have to pick that up on Monday! As it blew across the Kop I was thinking about it taking longer to do!

What was your debut?

It was against Leeds on a Friday night. I think it was last game of the season and we drew 0-0. I came on as sub. I was 16Y 10M. At the time I was the 2nd or 3rd youngest to play for Blues.

I bet that was an amazing experience?

Oh it was frightening! 9 months earlier I was playing at school. I’d been playing up front for the reserves. Actually I’d always played in a forward position. I’d been banging in the goals and was high in confidence, banging the goals in the Midland Youth Cup, and the Youth League and fair play to Garry Pendrey for giving me a go. I came on with about 30 minutes to go. Hit the post, had a one on one on the keeper and didn’t get it right – but I think I did all right. Well I won man of the match for 30 minutes – so that wasn’t bad was it. It was a great experience.

It led onto next season. I have to say though, I don’t think my body was ready for first team football. I was 9 stone at the time. To play professionally, I don’t think I was ready.

When do you think you played your best football for Blues?

Well probably before I got injured. Several top teams looking at me including Norwich, Liverpool and Spurs. I turned down a contract at Blues because I wanted to see what my options were at the end of the season. Then I did my knee in and broke my leg at Leyton Orient two weeks later, actually I shattered my leg. It was horrific. That put a stop to it.

I was out for 11 months and was told by two specialists that I’d never play again. One of them was a leading specialist at the time. I was gutted, I was only 19. This was by far my lowest point. I had bone grafts and pins it was a nightmare. I still have problems today as a result of it.

How did you get through it?

Well, with no help from Birmingham City FC I can tell you. When I’d done it, Lou Macari had come in, and he called me into the office with my Dad was to tell me the reason I got injured was I drank too much. I thought what are you on about, I was playing the best football of my career. Obviously people had told him stuff. So they packed me off to Lilleshall for 3 months no contact at all. Kumar tried to write me off to claim the insurance money. I hung in there, but I was never the same player again. But I did get back playing again. When I returned though, Macari had gone and Terry Cooper had taken over and he was golden.

It was a really bad time, and I’ll tell you if I see Lou Macari again he’s going to get a flying head-but, and you can put that in! I hate him – he really dumped on me. Some of the things he said to me were unbelievable. It was made worse being ex-Celtic. My Dad and I are big Rangers fans!

You know we won the Leyland Daf under him, but you know what he did to me? I played in every game up to my injury and scored a brilliant goal at Walsall. He took all the players to Wembley but didn’t take me, I had to make my own way AND buy my own ticket. That’s nice isn’t it.

Paul Tait

Let’s talk about happier times – what was like under Terry.

His training was brilliant, he clearly knew the game. Him and his Wife focused on turning the club into a family club. If he’d been given more money, we’d have been all right. He was a top bloke, his heart was in football. His man management skills were phenomenal. My parents had split up and I was mixing with people I shouldn’t, he got me moved to Solihull away from bad influences. he was really kind to me. I was gutted when he was sacked. He knew he was going. I really felt sorry for him.

What happened when Barry came in?

Baz came in. A little fat geezer with two bouncers. He said that some would stay and some would go and then we saw 30 players come and go. It was mental!

He took us to Dunstable for pre-season training. He made us run up heartbreak hill – called it because it broke your heart trying to run up it. The bloke was mad. What was wrong with the hills in the Midlands. No, we had to get in a coach, drive to Dunstable, run around all over the place, puke up and get driven back to Brum!

I thought it was hilarious, the seasoned pros wondered what the heck was going on! The training facilities were rubbish, he would get us training all over the place. To be honest though, he got the club moving.

We obviously Went down, but you featured quite a lot the following season didn’t you?

Yeah I scored some really important goals that year. I scored the winner in the final game of the season to confirm promotion, I scored in the final at Wembley – yeah we’ll come back to that – I scored in the quarter final playing from right back after Chris White had got sent off. yeah I scored quite a few goals that season.

I remember you doing really well that season.

Yeah I think it’s fair to say that. I did do well that year.

I think one thing that Barry did well was to get a good team spirit. Can you confirm that?

Yeah definitely. We had a lot of tough lads who weren’t born with a silver spoon in their mouths. They were from the streets really from rough areas. Actually we would often scare our opponents in the tunnel before the start head butting them and all that. It was mad! We used to rough players up, and get into their faces. Obviously it would be frowned on now.

Can you give us an example?

I don’t want to drop anyone in it. But I can remember one of our players head butting one of their centre forward. We all steamed in. We beat them in the tunnel AND on the pitch!

Obviously there was the Ancona game in the Anglo Italian cup.

Were you involved in that?

Yeah, I got attacked on the pitch. It was all on the news and everything. It was quite bad. The competition was stopped after that.

Is it true you’re all banned from Italy?

No I don’t think so, although I suspect Daishy and a few others may get questioned over what happened. The Italians were saying it was certain players that were involved, but there was loads of players involved. It was a free for all really.

Actually they picked on the wrong team and they came off really bad. There was no chance we were going to get beaten by the Italians to be honest!

They say that sides have the spirit or character of the manager, comments?

Yeah, it was crackers! Baz was jumping all over me. I was toe to toe with a guy. I broke the ref’s finger actually! The ref was ok actually, I caught his hand with my boot as I swung round. Baz was jumping on me and diving all over the place. We had to stick together and fight for each other and it was situations like this that it came out.

That character came out that season we were talking about, the double season.

Yeah we didn’t lose many and we fought for each other. We had a decent side actually.

We didn’t have any real superstars, we had a good team – a bit like now really.

I suppose you could say that, but we did have the likes of Jose.

Absolutely, I didn’t mean we didn’t have any skilful players – but we had a real “team.” We weren’t built around 1 or 2 players, it was a squad. The one guy who did stand out who created space was Mark Ward.

Oh yeah, well look at the level he played. He played for some great clubs. He’s a great friend of mine Mark. I used to love playing along side him. I’m still in touch with him, he’s doing ok but is looking to try and get back into football.

Tomorrow in part two, Paul talks about his highlights of his time with us, his difficulties with Trevor Francis and talks about THAT Tee shirt!