McLeish’s Blue Sky thinking strikes a Brum note

ALEX McLEISH fancies himself as a “bit of a crooner” and it took a fair amount of self-control for him to resist indulging in a Phil Brown moment in front of euphoric supporters who are still pinching themselves at the manner in which Birmingham City have secured another Premier League adventure.

If anyone has the right to be singing from the rooftops at St Andrew’s it is the Scot who was ridiculed as relegation fodder in August. Unlike Hull and Brown a year ago, Birmingham have not scraped survival by the skin of their teeth. They can have their membership of the elite rubber-stamped next Sunday by recording their highest top flight finish for 51 years.

Yet there was a hefty dose of cynicism among his own supporters as to whether McLeish was the man to retain the club’s status in the Premier League – but the sight of him being worshipped by the thousands that remained behind well after Brian Jensen’s own-goal and Christian Benitez’s first at St Andrew’s had confirmed a 14th unbeaten home game demonstrated the huge swing in favour of the former Rangers manager.

Still he resisted the temptation to belt out the Electric Light Orchestra’s “Mr Blue Sky” anthem and will retain that for the privacy of his own shower, while bowing to the fans.

“I haven’t grabbed the mic before in the last two seasons. It was the first time at St Andrew’s. I think the bottom line in football is results. If you get results people tend to take a shine to you,” he said.

“The next stage is to prove that we can be a Premier League club for next season and the season after. A lot of the players have shown great consistency. People kept thinking the bubble would burst. Now the challenge is we don’t want to be one-season wonders.

“The challenge for Roger Johnson, Scott Dann and all of these lads is to do it again. Turn up for your work for the next 10 years like Barry Ferguson has done.”

MATCH RATING: *** – This was a dead rubber and Burnley were in little mood to put up any resistance. The only complaint for McLeish is they should have won more convincingly.

REFEREE: Peter Walton (Northants) 6 – There was barely a tackle in the game and did well not to give a penalty against Leon Cort when his excellent challenge on Cameron Jerome looked like a foul first hand.