b'FOOTBALL HIGHSANDLOWSI cant remember when I became aware that I was ain with the celebrations since the game took place on the Villa supporter, because Id attended games at all of theeve of my A Level General Studies examinations.local grounds (yes, even St Andrews) as a young child.The lows: well, there have been a few. The negativity I suppose it was partly a family thing, as my parents andaround Villa Park during the latter stages of the last my brother had Villa season tickets at various times; and,relegation season was not pleasant. Your players being of course, growing up initially in Boldmere well, youbooed by a goodly number of your own fans when they support your local team, dont you? are announced before the game can never be good for The high was being away at Arsenal on 2nd May 1981morale! The 2000 FA Cup Final against Chelsea, the last (at the age of 17) when, even though we lost the gameto be played at the old Wembley, was probably the 2-0, we secured the top-flight title since our title rivalsworst though. After some really enjoyable pre-match Ipswich also lost. We legitimately pitch-invaded and Ifestivities, the game itself was dreadfula tedious 1-0 dug up a small piece of Highbury turf (which obviouslyvictory to our opponentsand we all felt very flat on our saved the Arsenal ground staff some work as they hadreturn train journey. To cap it all, I was then set upon by to re-lay the pitch ready for the next season anyway). Itsome BCFC thugs whilst walking home from Birmingham survived for a while in its plant pot in my bedroom! At thelate that nightcest la vie!end of the following season we won the European CupMr Jonesof course. Sadly, I couldnt be there in Rotterdam to join JOYS AND SORROWSThe Carling Cup final on 27th February 2011 betweenThe goalkeeper for Birmingham was in scintillating form Birmingham and Arsenal is a day I will treasure for thethroughout and in the 89th minute provided an assist rest of my lifetime. I have fond memories of travellingfor a dramatic late winner, scored by the Nigerian striker down to North London for a weekend stay at HendonObafemi Martins. The journey home from London on Hall Hotel, an elegant 16th-century Georgian mansionthe Sunday evening was full of unbridled joy alongside and the base for the 1966 England squad when theythe exciting prospect of qualification into a European won the World Cup. The hotel was full of World Cupcompetition.memorabilia. I distinctly remember having a coffee in theI remember the season ending with Mr Campbell and hotel lounge on the Saturday evening when Mike Dean,myself watching Birmingham against Tottenham Hotspur, the officiating referee for the final, walked through andwhich was the game that ultimately ended in relegation we exchanged some good-natured remarks about theto the championship for Birmingham and epitomised the forthcoming match. joys and sorrows of being a football supporter.Arsenal were overwhelming favourites, riding high inMr Hawkinssecond place in the Premier League; whilst in contrast, Birmingham were in 16th place and only two points above the relegation zone. We had brushed aside our local rivals Aston Villa in the quarter-finals, and eventually West Ham United in a nail-biting semi-final. Over 30,000 Birmingham fans made the journey to Wembley on the Sunday morning to watch the blue half of Birmingham play against a star-studded Arsenal side, under the impressive Wembley arch.Throughout the match my team had their backs to the wall, but were fighting gallantly to keep the score level. 54'