CH welcome to the latest episode of the fit list in devotion podcast brought to you by the fine fine folks the fatball group all your food and drink needs all your party needs whatever you need the fatb group can offer it um just ask spr walking uh we have a full house here for the the first time I think since I've uh joined the Pod although Mr Andrew Gilpin is about to hop up after about five minutes so we should get into a few quick things like the newsletter Andy oh well well thank you for for bringing this up um what newsl oh what newsletter I tell you what we are 15 weeks into a brilliant newsletter it's absolutely packed full of hints tips analysis little sides me and Tim sort of bring the week together for you it's called rexam is the game now it was um it was on an introductory price um we we then had to go back to its normal price for 440 a week which is still great value it is like 70 that's 76 p a week that that that's the price of a Fredo what what would you rather have loads of Rex and stuff or afredo just said 40 PS a week by the way you did yeah yeah clarify a year sorry sorry that's a lot of fros um but um good news uh for the next two weeks it has gone back down to its uh introductory price of 15s so so please try uh And subscribe if you will Tim loads of good stuff in there we had we had a we had a good good chat and there's some good good little Snippets in this week's wasn't there plenty of Snippets all good stuff and yeah it's it's nice to put these little things out there a lot of people might be missing them if you hadn't subscribed so it's quite good stuff it's stuff that we tend probably not to put on the The Fearless um uh social media because it feels like it's a bit of a separate entity so um but yeah it's really enjoyable and you know I never get bored about writing about kits and stuff so you know it's always a good thing so yeah and I'm sure there'll be plenty more good stuff this week given the uh the results of yest today which I'm sure we can have a deep dive into no doubt yeah if anyone wants to be fan of the Week uh email me um Andrew Gilpin at hotmail.com you know you know the you all know the address it's almost like it's drilled in every week yeah okay I'm going to stop sharing this and yeah I've come in for a quick Cameo just because I've been in Poland for the weekend um and uh I feel you guys are probably a bit more uh a bit more sort of qualified to attack the shwb game I'll tell you why I tell you why I'm not qualified to attack the Shrew Brey game because I try to get the IE follow and like a big part of this rexam Global Community none of us could get it and it was so annoying I was so annoyed I was like fuming at them because there just didn't seem to be any sort of action taken there was one tweet from the club saying oh we might there might be a bit of a problem uh well yeah it was a massive problem and this affects rexon more than anyone else just because we've got such a a global audience and for for this to to not work properly it's so frustrating because you know we know that the club have to Outsource all this to to third parties we know that's part of the EF efl deal but if anyone that you're going to try and get correct done correctly it should be reom uh and it just feels that there wasn't really much urgency with this to to even before the game where a lot of people said there was problems were it not showing up or during the game where they just needed it fixed uh ASAP and I just found it incredibly frustrating yesterday and uh I shall be sending I follow a [ __ ] in the post brilliant if in doubt in EN he probably isn't going to be sending a turd in a box in the post just just for avoidance of doubt that was only a problem one shows up I really missed your rants when you was a little head in the bottom of a screen in a bed yeah all right I'm I'm Lads I'm I'm G to leave I'm just an angry forehead um I'm just going to leave you guys to it because oh for that yeah the match sounded brilliant but I wasn't I couldn't even see it I was following it on uh on on on Twitter like a oldfashioned six years ago um but Fe Fe fearlessly undevoted of you Andrew boot Leo video to be uploaded now Monday Tuesday watch the highlights there right guys have a good one I'll see you soon I I'll be back next week take some time off if you need to I I am furious I'm furious so but you know I'll get over it just we'll see he's totally off to [ __ ] in the Box um anyway we uh we we were fortunate to have watched the game either in person or uh through other means rexam 3 shuby nail oi Palmer Elliot Lee Jack marot Liam Tim Reese um where do we start with this I mean I guess for me I want to start with Tom o Conor because I think that Tom o Conor was just that could well have been his best game in the re I'm sure I thought um it is very hyperbolic but I said Prime Frank Obi it's it's maybe that's a bit over the top I just thought the way he marshaled things and stepped out from the back but there was again another strong performance pretty much across the board um particular obviously oi Rathbone getting his first League start um and that that that did a lot for me so General thoughts I guess um Liam you went on last week so I'll come to you first on that yeah I think with Tom o Conor for a long time I've always sort of said oh well you know he's a he's a really good Central midfielder who just happens to be having to play at uh left Center back I think the more time's gone on that is his position now he is ridiculously good at it and it's also a very big part of how we play out from the back so yeah I think I'm I'm fully comfortable with the fact now that he is just a super duper left Center back and it's quite a you know not a specialist position as such but I don't think I think it is actually quite a hard place to find a um a decent player I think at one point Parkinson brought in will Bole there probably not quite in the same molder sort of different style of mid uh Defender more physical um but I love I've Loved Tom o Conor from the start whatever he's a Midfield Defender what he is um the game in general it just felt like we didn't necessarily get out of you know sort of second or third gear but we didn't need to because shrewbury in defense every time across you went into the box it I just thought we were going to score um because they were so open at the back I mean after the result uh last weekend they had against Leon Orient winning 3-0 um they got that young lad in from Chelsea on loan I was a bit like oh you know I think you always have that thing in the back of your mind when it comes to a derby game like oh Christ This Could completely upset the upset the recer books but we we just didn't look I know we let them into the game a little bit was end of the first half but but overall we just looked really comfortable uh again much more enjoyable and settled than I could have dreamed of so long may it continue this start of the Season yeah it feels almost um backwards to start talk about a three-nil win against one of our Rivals but talk about the defense but Owen o Connell as well just another phenomenal game martial and things in the center Max was Max Arthur had very little to do um but to come to you Tim um I'm going to go dub him the the terror twins of George Dobson and Olie Rathbone just absolute menaces um how how was that for you as a as a first League start for Ry yeah I mean you when when you pay what we paid for him you're expecting him to be a a reasonably good player anyway you know ran fans were very very upset to see him go and he just slotted in there no fuss you know and that's the beauty of it because you know Canon again has been the start of the Season really well bit of a loss with him being out injured and he's R just slotted in and we've not like like Li said not even got a first gear and that that Midfield is is without a doubt and we can talk about the full clean sheets in a row and and and sort of hunting imp pcts and and all that sort of stuff and the defense being amazing but that Midfield that we've got and the interchangeability those players has to be up there one of the the very best Rex and midfielders I've ever seen just because of the way it works and it's just Relentless I mean Dobson is I mean I think you'd be hard pressed you'd have to hard pressed to find a genuine Char fan who honestly hand on heart can't say that they don't miss it because I mean he's just unbelievable he's unbelievably good player um and he just adds a different dimension to to what we've ever had before in terms of you know the way he picks his passes he's very quick on shift Shifting the ball on and wrath bone again it just just adds a bit of dynamism to everything and it just allows again I keep saying it allows Lee to free up to do what he does best which is Flo in edge of the Box put put the goal away which is exactly what he did so but yeah we should we should all be um delighted top of the league 3-0 against that lot and it could have been more we probably we probably showed him a little bit of Mercy in a weird way but it's just Madness in it I mean it's it's almost I was thinking about this before like it's it's not boring to ever get to come on these pods and wax lyrical about how good we are because we're so fortunate to be able to do it but I I genuinely can't see like how our performance levels dip to a point where we're ever going to get a Tony and I I just don't I don't see it I don't see it honestly I just I just think there're such a strong unified outfit and that comment could come back to bite me exactly I'm why why did you do you were going so well no but it's true and I I think I mean you need to get off the fence more than most you're you're you're always the slight negative n of it but I think there's got to be a point even for you you think well yeah you can't afford to be complacent I understand that but surely you've seen enough already after after you know five games to go they could I me difficult it could be the real deal I'm in a difficult situation now because this is Dreamland unbelievable we're clean sheating every week which is just insane um but I keep predict at some point it's going to burst I say I say it's going to burst at some point we're going to lose and so now I just going to have to predict a loss until we lose now I don't see any other alternative so we'll we'll see but yeah it's it's it's incredible and as I say that clean sheet thing is that is the what is the thing that stands out for me that we haven't conceded since in the league since the first game of season um and you know for a lot of the time we don't look like conceding that back three now despite the fact that Tom OK Conor when he started the season probably wasn't at his best OK Conor looked a bit shaky in a couple of games they really seem to have solidified themselves you know Scar's not getting a look in um and I you know I'm sure he will be called upon but it is fantastic that we're able to hold people out like this and obviously Arthur's a big part of that of course he is um but yeah it's brilliant I mean how what I was going to say was I didn't watch yesterday's games because I made my um uh I made a long uh awaited return to play in rugby so um I can barely move today uh in case any questions about why I'm stretching my neck all the time because everything hurts um but it was good to see that James Jones got on the pitch did he did he get a decent 20 minutes it's Sor right look very TIY very efficient as he nor only does obviously full of running um one of those players I'd imagine gets a run out on on Tuesday when we uh when we play suid we'll get to that in a sec um I think well when you look at the opposition we've played so far in the league because it's you want to get carried away then the other part is like well how good are those teams obviously we've got a massive massive test coming up next in the league Birmingham away again we'll get to that we'll be joined from one of the uh the blues podcast fellas um I just oie ratbone that he had this the weird ability to look effortless and graceful while also simultaneously looking absolutely [ __ ] it was just it just seemed like a really nice quality getting see him just running running past the knee at the second well in the first half and it's like yeah that kind of looks knacked but he's also doing things that make they just look really really easy and somebody else I thought they made things look easy and has done so far this season Ryan Barnett now this is somebody who before he joined us had only had eight appearances in League football at all uh joined us in the the national league very good for us last season in League 2 started off absolutely on fire in League one I think it's it's safe to say that Ryan Bary is is definitely a league one standard player yeah isn't it ironic that like our best probably our best attacking player at the moment I would say is Ryan Barnett uh you know obviously Dobson he's no well there's no pun arguing about play of the season five games in is there but I mean in terms of so far he's certainly up there Barnet and you know he's our only technically non- League signing in terms of you know from another non- League side is that right um yeah I think so looking at especially the the regular starters I think looking across it yeah I think yeah he's he's been [ __ ] out isn't he he's he's he's brilliant and he's just absolutely loving life at the moment long may it continue yeah one thing I did think was maybe a little bit questionable and we've had this topic come up in the previous game I can't remember which one it was James mcle get a man of the match I thought James mcle had a very good game but it was another one where it's like yeah probably there's some other people there ahead of him I get the logic because obviously the sponsors then get to meet whoever the man of the match is um yeah just it's it's it's almost become like back in the day when it was like like what was a running joke of me some makes it's like the Carlos Edwards man of the match award goes to Carlos Edwards because he'd win it every single week so he wanted to meet Carlos and he was playing out of his skin so it was just I felt a little sorry for some of the other Lads on the pitch who were probably a little more worthy of the the man of the match but mle another solid game and be interested to see if he actually if he is rested on Tuesday because of course when we rotated previously he still played he was the only player that still played so that's I think play an injection in his foot didn't he um Parkinson mentioned after the game so if there's there was ever a time to rest him surely it's it's Tuesday night I know I know the lad doesn't like to but you know come on he's pretty much said yeah he'll be rested there there's no there's no chance of be playing but yeah I agree what you said about about the man of the match stuff and um yeah it's frustrating I guess but yeah but you they're all playing so well and I I understand why you pay that much money for a box you're well entitled to to choose what you want to meet afterwards I suppose so yeah um but yeah some some said the week well now now there's like guest wifi in the stadium should it not be the point where we can have like an option on the app to all vote for who the player the the man of the match is no like sort of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire where you ask the audience that kind of vibe not sure if that would work or not but I'm gonna give sha and Humphrey a heart attack here um but the the other players clearly just need to make some politically controversial statements and then people might uh people might want to sort of get him in the Box afterwards uhuh absolutely on that um maybe Tom M con's got sort of some controversial view on the lib Dems or something get tweet in Tom before we uh before we move on just a quick one sorry on on the whole uh defensive solidity Etc the the only slight worry that I've got if if things keep uh you know mosing along as as as they are the rate we are at the moment then they could very well be serious offers for Max in January I genuinely I think I know we've tied him down to long-term contract but when you look at his age and and what he's doing um you know I I I I genuinely think I would not be surprised to see bottom end sort of Premier League area kind of Club thinking right well let's see let's test them out because no no nobody's no nobody's left the club off their own free will since the Takeover that that's the that's the great thing and but it's going to happen at some point um whether he he'd stay don't know it depends on the offer it depends on on everything else but it's Testament to him and the way he's learning off off all these players and and becoming e easily the first first name down on the team sheet yeah I agree totally but that's a good problem to have if if you you you're players especially a young players playing so well that you've got Premier League teams sniffing around you and that is an hatred of the beast but that's a a problem to address if and when it it rises its head I mean there was interest from a championship at least in tom o Conor over the summer bids coming in and Tom o Conor chose to stay and who knows but that's I think that's a question for for another day on that um also I want give a shout out to Jamie tly correctly predicted 3-0 today Jamie Tully shrew B born and bred came through the ranks uh six I think seven seasons in the first team scored two goals against rexon two very good goals that diamond had in a scream at game medal um in two separate games predicted that Rex will win 3-0 the this the M win that um that will get he's got money on us getting promoted he's got bet on and that shrew be will get relegated it's like mate you know your audience um yeah and he with the UA fans with him Dave Edwards and Sam hon I think I know he's doing the the coms he was yeah I think he did the radio cage didn't he for drop I know Dave Edwards and Sam e were obviously in the in the in the away end with the with salop fans obviously H played R didn't he yeah yeah yeah um also to he said that I talk about like the Rival between Rex and shrewbury and he said that for Shrewsbury it's like a massive rivalry with rexim not so much um but I suppose it's worth note as well this is the first we beat him at home since 1996 which was Darren brace in the 87th minute on I think that was on a Tuesday um so it was it was nice to get one over on him even if it didn't I don't know it felt it was built as a as a derby the the atmosphere was a derby but then the performance I mean this is seemingly a very poor shuby team it just felt like well that was kind of easy and as mentioned I think Le said wasn't really out second gear um yeah can I can I ask you all how you'd feel you know if if this rise continues the way the way it's going cuz somebody asked me this other night um last night actually was a long night so lots of people came up and commented on the Pod so thank you very much for your kind comments um somebody said wouldn't it be strange when if we keep going the way we go and we end up in the championship will we not miss these Derby matches will we not miss the Chesters the trir the Sho Brees the crew to a certain extent Liam shaking his head rigorously I know what you mean Cardiff then they're bigger one and as much as we we've kind of Ed it previously about the rexman Stockport not being a legitimate rivalry I think we said then it was a competitive rivalry and I think that will always continue the way the way that's happening so so I'm guessing Liam definitely would miss it Andrew ree um I think there's a difference between Derby and rivalry well yeah rivalries like you said there's competitive rivalries I mean going back years ago look at the Premier League different level Arsenal man united massive Rivals but it's not exactly a derby is it and it's I think that's was with Stockport I don't class that as a derby but I do class that as a rivalry Le comptitive rivalry um that was the same with not County for a bit when it comes to the deries you look at obviously the jest lot down the road in Legoland and and shrewbury and that's kind of I mean to me even I don't I don't necessarily see trir as particularly a derby as such because you just get to a point where you're almost pulling strings where it's like well pulling teeth like who's the actual closest I remember times in the dark days where like altringham had become a derby just because it was the closest team to us at the time in the same league we in on North wit Victoria and it's like yeah I don't know and it's a good problem it's a good problem to have if your der if your rivalries you know evolve know if if we end up in the championship for you know and that's our hopefully you know a good base for us to be for a while and to be competitive in you know after a few seasons those games against against Stoke and Preston are going to be quite tasty and you know we'll have Swansea and Cardiff hopefully as well with the anded Welsh element which we'll have missed uh since uh Newport of course um uh so yeah I i' yes lots to look forward to I need to find out if Andrew is trolling um shb fans by purposely wearing Amber and blue clothing that's no actually a Gary speed I know yeah there's definitely a bit of Amber and blue even even the Shir over it is a bit Amber and blue I just thought it was was it just a subliminal thing or in my my defense like darus rip I am color blind so any fashion F passs over the years what you think what a person's in well it fits it's there yeah it's like IP wow yeah yeah I mean if you ever see me and you're thinking what is he wearing then it's like that that's my defense it's just like color blind that's it means that I'm yeah the void of all responsibility when it comes to wearing horrendous clothes or color combination totally color blind then yeah I just seen black and white like anation wow no no I do see colors just certain colors are if certain shades of colors look like certain shades of other colors that's all I can't believe I'm to explain the concept of color blindness in 2024 there are different types aren't there yeah there is mine's like mainly like green Reds Reds Browns purples oh yes so like the Wales Island uh rugby situ nightmare absolute nightmare yeah they're not doing it anymore it's going to be stopped from next year people up in arms about it but you know I think it's good to be inclusive it was all discovered because I used to draw a color trees the wrong way around and had a green donkey when we doing like some Nativity [ __ ] in in primary school but anyway that's that's by the by let's let's let's get we talking about Andy [ __ ] in a box the green donkeys this is one of those pods in it so far green donkey that sounds like some sort of uh comes in the box with batteries um but let's move on to uh to welcome to rexam what what better way to segue from from that to to welcome to rexim uh which is on the back of winning a bunch more Awards we all be enjoyed probably in about five minutes by um by a Birmingham fan so this is like a nice way to take up a few minutes um so obviously the documentary won five Prime Time EMES back in January now this weekend has won for 2024 creative art Emmy Awards for uh directing for a variety special unstructured reality program picture editing and sound mixing so I think that's speak for all us to say congratulations to the the crew behind welcome to rexim and also it's it's again uh recognition for such a great job it's done of showcasing the club but also more importantly the town and the the people that make up the communities here yeah Ryan um Reynolds is um I've noticed paid tribute to the Massie family as part of his um sort of dedic from which I thought was you know really nice of him you know I I hate the phrase classy gesture but once again um you know the fact that they played such a big part particularly in um the latest season of of Welcome to Rex and um just thought that was nice of him to give them a mention and the entire town as well which obviously without whom there is no documentary so yeah it's just nice it's nice to see it getting that recognition because I know you know we've met the guys who do all sort of background work and that type of thing and a lot of effort goes into it from start to finish yeah um I guess we can move quickly on from that and and briefly touch on before we talk Birmingham because obviously that's the massive game on Horizon but it'd be remiss to to skip over Tuesday's game Football League trophy our first game in that that uh that in that tournament this season that competition um we've got Port Vil and wolves under the 21s in our group as well but it's sford that we are playing on Tuesday um I guess the the big talking point would be this surely Paul Mullen starting this does moal gets some doeses he get a start you've got Callum Burton Le Brun Dan scar we've talked about the squad sebra van George Evans maybe I'm not sure what the his s situation is James Jones but uh yeah what what are we expecting from this and what players are you looking in terms of rotation are you looking forward to getting a chance to to see and get get well hopefully 90 minutes under the belt yeah I think you've said it there you know you sort of well it's only a tener isn't it to get in so I'm thinking that's going be quite a nice Tuesday night's entertainment for me and hopefully a chance to get a look at you know some of the players who we perhaps expected to to start after we signed them but you know it's not sort of Parky's way he tends to phase players in more gradually so I'd like to see the likes of dancar certainly like to get a look at Mile um so if it is that sort of second 11 I mean it's just ridiculous really when you look at look at the bench look at the potential second 11 we've got so yeah I'm not too I'm not too bothered about how we do in this tournament if I'm completely honest I mean I always want Rex him to win but for me it' be more it would be a nice opportunity if we can get to see some of those players who haven't really had a chance to see as yet yeah no 100% I think um looking forward to seeing because I thought Burton did really well at Sheffield United could have been a lot worse had it not been for him so I think he's probably going to get some minutes foul 100% will be involved you think scar will start uh Bolton kind of almost cast Into the Wilderness a little bit so I think it's big opportunity for him again to have another stab impressing against his his former Club um because the last time he did it obviously didn't didn't quite work out um that that game uh so yeah it'll be interesting it'll be interesting to to to see what I'm always intrigued to see what sort of crowds we'll pull for these ones because it's been fairly encouraging last season it gives a lot of people who are unable to attend who haven't got season tickets Etc or unlucky in the in the ticket ballots to to take people down and you know I'm I'm sure it'll be busy know the kids are back in school now I'm sure like various parents will feverishly trying to trying to uh take them along to to keep them all nice and calm so it'll be good if M comes on what's the what is the chant have you decided what you're gonna go with no I mean I I like the the the Billy Idol on that was a laugh but nobody's going to go with it I mean all my ones are a little bit you know whacky like nobody's ever going to do them um but say [ __ ] [ __ ] as well but tequila song is done it did that was great I didn't do that though that wasn't me I take zero credit for that one people be took crit for in the Pod I'm sure you did I didn't take credit for it on the Pod at all no chance oh it was part of the book of a conquor offering I I was vehemently against that chant and then I just thought you can't beat him join him so uh you just get on with it so yeah I'm enjoying the job George Dobson chant at the moment and I've I've purposely added a second verse to it I've suggested a second verse to it so so maybe that's one that you know people can cuz that was sang Yesterday to she's electric by Oasis that was nice um anyways it's um is time for our guest Andrew who I think is shortly joining us from the waiting room okay K come on down the price is right come on down oh that's a serious bit of Kit in the uh hello hello sir this is Sam Shey from the blues Focus podcast uh cheers for give us some time on your Sunday evening to come and join us to talk uh a mammoth gaming what a week tomorrow uh rexim at Birmingham how's the season gone so far for you because obviously you've you've in what fourth place only three points behind us with a game in hand are you fairly happy with the start that that Blues have had so far yeah good evening guys and I think so far it's been probably about as good a start as we could have expected with all the eyes on us and a lot of pressure obviously with the amount of money we spent in the transfer window which I'm sure you guys are going to get on to but um yeah in terms of our start the season it's been pretty good four wins and one draw and that opening day draw against reading there was a little bit of nerves afterwards because it took us a while to get that goal from Alfie may but then we've seen a lot of positives in the games we've had since where we've been scoring a lot of goals not really been letting a whole mount in but yet to really keep that clean sheet that's real statement for us so I still think there's a lot to work on but so far so pretty good really because of the fact that as you said fourth place and Three Points behind you guys so yeah not a bad start yeah I mean it was just from looking from the outside in it would seemed like a bit of a fast last year the way things were handled with the manager situation with John eustus and and just how things developed with that um how's Chris Davis settling in uh yeah he's doing all right so far Chris Davis um someone that's coming with a lot of I guess experienc working under a more experienced manager where at Celtic and Leicester at Tottenham he was with Brendan Rogers and then an POA cogo so someone that's been around top managers but not really had the managerial role himself yet so this is his first I guess stint in charge being the main man and he's done pretty well so far I think it's going to be a challenge to turn around the style of football that we play with because it tends to be at Birmingham the managers that succeed it's very much a 442 style of football but now we've got a 4231 with a lot of pressing and keeping possession I mean you see by the possessional stats in League one so far I think we averaged the most possession in the league most passes completed so he he's done well turning that around and the fans are being patient with that as well because they recognize that what he's trying to do is probably going to take some time with a lot of new players in in the transfer window and trying to get all them bodies through the door and make him feel comfortable in the way that we're playing I'd say he's done pretty good so far he's a very likable guy as well comes across really well in his Ines that he does with the club and yeah I feel like he's a good pair of hands to try and get us out of this league and onto the next step that the board feel is necessary I mean you should know by now possession is not important give us 30% of The Possession we'll we'll be we'll be happy mate it's fine but um how do you make of the money that's been spent cuz what around about 25 million in total depending on where you read between 15 and 20 just for for Jay Danfield who obviously did very well for you previously is were you surprised to see that amount of money being spent or was it you always thought they were just going to go hard with it because it's right let's just get bounc bounc straight back to the the championship I mean I I've never seen a transfer window like it at Birmingham and the fact that we spent this much money and yet it's the first season we've been in League one for 30 years so there's certainly no cutting back with these guys and they really are making signings of intent such as Jay stord and they just wouldn't let it go because we' had rejected bids from FM but they were bidding right up to the 11th hour trying to get the do over the line as that's the person they wanted to kind of front their project because of the fact that he was such a likable character for us last season winning five awards at the end of season awards really tells you all you need to know about Stanford impact at the club and uh happy to see him come through the door as well as well a whole load of names I mean two new goalkeepers new fullbacks and a lot of Midfield options as well so it was a pretty hectic transfer win though a lot of new people as I said and I think wara game we played um on Tuesday really highlighted that that there's still a long way to go of this team and it's all about yeah the players getting in the right positions I mean we we we saw the warsa game they had very limited possession as we'll get on to I mean they had about 21% possession in the game and yet they still managed to cause us so many problems so having the ball is only some of it the other half of it is just trying to put the ball in the back of the net and that final pass which we seem to be struggling with at the moment but with the transfer window we've had and the Personnel we've brought in I'm sure that will come eventually yeah I mean we we've not we can't really take any particular moral High Ground in terms of spending lots of money comparative to the rest of the division that you're in um but I mean to you is it like is can is that sort of transfer in League one obviously with you got higher aspirations but is is that justifiable really that the the finances for for Jason ansfield there's a lot of conversation about this isn't there whether it's fair or not and are we going to get round ffp rules and all the conversations about that and what I've said before is that we've we've been done by ffp in in Years Gone by and that was because of the ownership we had then with trillian trophy Asia and bshl and when we had run na as a manager years ago and yeah just just really blew the budget and wasn't really measured in the way that he was doing it so I feel with these new guys NAD Capital they would know what would be feasible in this league and what they'll be able to kind of get away with as such with in terms of how much money's coming into the club through sponsorship and all other brand deals that we've got going at the moment and I suppose as well the gates at St Andrews now are massive I mean the the game is sure to be a sellout and every home game we've had so far in the League's been a sellout so the whole sort of Club is going in the right direction and they're putting in the money but there is obviously that question in the back of our minds is we're going to get done for this because we've seen it before with other regimes where we got deducted points and it's led to kind of a downward spiral but I think with NAD capital and their knowledge of the rules and a bit more knowhow and the hierarchy would be able to you know get round the position that we were in before good yeah I don't want to take too much of this if anybody else got any any questions or discussion points dive on in Sam first and foremost welcome um secondly my best mate is from Sully Hill she definitely does not sound like you so where where where has that accent come from well it's it's my dad's side of the family that live in Birmingham he grew up in Birmingham and I'm from place called wear in hartfordshire so it's about two two and a half hours from Birmingham but um I mean I I I still go to plenty of games I mean this season especially because in League one there's actually a lot more away grounds that are nearer to where I live I mean already up been Laton Orient Wicken which is near where I live and you got the lights of Ren Peter BR stevenage Crawley so it's all teams that we're not familiar with but yet closer to me so I'm definitely going to a lot of Blues games this season and uh I do get asked that question a lot Tim so not unfamiliar with that H give us an idea of of obviously there is there is some um similarity and Common Ground in terms of the American ownership American Canadian in brackets for us and you guys with with with Tom Brady and and so on and so forth when that happened um what was what was the General feel and I mean what what is suppose the question is is twofold what was your take on on how our ownership model is unfolded obviously it's come with success but when you look at that and you've had the similar takeover yourself is there is there element to thinking well are they going to follow similar suit how does how does your ownership model change from ours and are there any are there more more similarities than we than we maybe realize I think there's a lot of similarities when it comes to Birmingham Rex me for starters in League one our two clubs probably the most two hated clubs in the league not going to lie so um yeah there's a lot of media attention as well and we we saw as soon as you know n capital came in there was that bit of a media attention because these guys are Americans have got a lot of money but then it was really when Tom Brady became chairman of The Advisory board that we really started to see the mainstream Outlets pick up on what was happening at Birmingham and obviously with you guys with who you've got in charge of you that that elevates you straight away in the media and everybody all of a sudden wants to know what your scores are how you're doing and then also poke fun of you and things aren't going your way as well and say all that money for nothing so I'm I'm sure there's a lot of sort of high-profile stuff that's happened with you guys in terms of Who's involved with you and people that perhaps hadn't messaged you in in years talking about your Club all of a sudden then speaking about Birmingham and we saw that last season I mean with the Wayne Rooney appointment that really didn't go to plan and it was a big name we were being featured on Sky Sports most weeks but it really did backfire for us and I suppose that's one of the reasons why we're in this league at the moment but Birmingham rexam do definitely parallel and I think we'll see a lot of that in the buildup to the game next week C can the obviously the squad that that Davis is assembled um I mean I suppose from our point of view we're thinking well have have they had time to gel are they is that still going to be a work in progress so I'm just trying to get you obviously know the players what sort of pressure they're under a to succeed for a club the size of Birmingham but I would probably suggest that it's very much a case of it's promotion first season or or not like that is the ultimate goal people are saying well if they don't win this by some distance then it'll be a massive object failure is can these players carry that additional pressure because from our point of view we're delighted that Birmingham in this division because it takes the pressure off us CU we were the we were the one we were the supposed big fish in the smaller Pond then it's very much not the case now at all and we're just going about a business trundling along nicely while other teams like yours have that Spotlight and have that pressure to perform it's an expectation of the pressure that I haven't seen in Birmingham in a very long time and it's gone from we have to be promoted to now we have to win the league because of how much money we spent on Jay Stansfield and it's the elevated pressure which I think the fan base is is on board with and the fact that as I said earlier they're still being patient but I think it will get to a point that if we go on a run in the league where we're four or five games without a win that the fans are going to really start to you know voice their anger and their issues with what's happening with the team because as much as we're doing the pass around the back stuff at the moment slow buildup if you're not winning games and and you're getting points taken off of you then all of a sudden that pressure is going to be cranked up so I think at Burmingham it's a pressure as I said that haven't seen really seen before and I guess with the style of play of League one with of the other teams that have come to face us at St Andrews A lot of people a lot of Birmingham fans thought that if teams come to St Andrews would sort of sit back and we could have a lot of the ball press him a lot but a lot of teams aren't aren't that scared of us to be honest I mean I mean the reading game for starters I thought they were probably the better team in the 90 minutes and they really did go after us and Ruben sellers sellers did really put on a tactical masterclass that game against us and we were lucky to get a point but I think that as you said we I'd say we are a big fish in a small pond but people aren't that scared of us because of the fact that we were relegated last year and there is a lot of personnel at the club that was there last season but there's got to be that change in mindset that we have got to try and win every week and you look at Alfie mayi done an interview recently on talk sports saying that winning the league is the absolute minimum so that's the mindset of the players and I think that's definitely the mindset of the fans now as well does that help when when you hear players say that because you can I can understand him saying that but by the same token does he go Christ he's really putting it on he's putting it on themselves which is an internal I guess but when you hear plays like that obviously gives the fans a a bonus and a big boost especially all the stuff you've had in recent years but do do is there do you hear that and go is it like a preceded caution kind of feel to it that was my first reaction actually but that was kind of a reaction that I didn't put out on social media because I didn't want people jumping on me going I can't believe you don't think we're going to win the league but yeah it's it's one of them things where if you say something like that you have to go and back it up and so far off he made this season he scored four goals in League one he has looked really good WEA position now is going to change because Jay stansel is here as well and it's that whole dilemma of can you put two people that are very good in the same position in the same team but that's a dilemma that is a good Dilemma to have because they're both good players but one that ever to be fall fall out and throughout the whole of the Season where it's that thing of can you start all these good players in one team or is there going to have to be some unhappy people on the bench and you don't want that unrest do you in the team you want everybody to know their roles and and I think with a lot of the people that have joined us they be expecting to start but not everybody can start in the team before so I was going to say if winning the league is the is the minimum what's the maximum you're going to win the FA Cup as well well maximum I think the last time we were in League one we' done the league and cup double with the uh well Bristol Street Motors trophy it's called now so I think that's that's that's the maximum really the leing cup double for that which uh we had Barry FY and charville then and people that know bar Ry he's very much a character and uh if we get that sort of Charisma from Davis it's going to be an inter in season yeah that's going to be an interesting you can have the Bristol Street Motors we're not we've already decided we're not that first we haven't even played it yet it achieved those games so just last one for me before I let the other guys speak just going in Touching quickly before we go into in a bit more on on the game on Monday um I mean from our point of view we go into it obviously in very good form um to go into a massive crunch game which is almost certainly the biggest test of the season season so far you know at this stage because of because of our our performance levels because of the the obviously going top is great and everything else I think is there is there an element I mean it's great to have confidence amongst the fan base but I've seen a couple of comments where they're saying look we got to we've got to take rexam seriously because if we don't then you can come unstuck and is that by virtue of Just The Way we' started and I think you know had had we maybe only picked up six or seven points there might be a little little less uh Confidence from from our point and more from you but is is there an element of of that amongst the fans or is it very much a case of well it'll be fine we'll we'll just Croc on and do what we need to do well I think a lot of fans are taking League one seriously in the fact that the margins we've won by so far have not been that convincing it's been the odd goal that we've won by and especially the start that rex have had you know you guys top of the league and also kept four clean sheets in aona league so our problem a little bit is finding that final touch or that final finish for a goal and especially if your guys defensive record at the moment that is going to present its own problems so I'm really expecting it to be an even encounter and I don't think there are many Birmingham fans that are going to be going into that game Thinking yeah we're going to win 3-0 40 because you guys have also got the momentum from your last promotion and also as well I mean there there were some people at the start of the Season saying that I don't know what you guys think but like when Rex got promoted there were some people saying that perhaps it's going to come a bit too soon for you guys to be challenging up the top but so far so good for you guys and as the seon plays out it may be that Squad depth could could arise you know for us as a favor because we've got so many players in our team and maybe other league one players don't have that depth that we have but so far for a game early on this season it's going to be a fasty encounter put it that way 100% Sam I know you're not um necessarily sort of local to Birmingham but are there any sort of advice you'd give to to Rex some fans who are going on the way day there well I mean given the kickoff time and the day is it's like a Monday 8:00 so uh I don't know how long it take for you guys to get up there but I mean yeah there's plenty of pubs around the place like the fountain definitely going there if you if you arrive there it's like literally right around the corner from the ground 10 minutes before kickoff shoot Ralph around there and you'll be fine um and also with Birmingham now we're doing a lot more around the ground to get people into the sort of stadium and around the stadium more in advance for kickoff times so some of the stores they have around there different food and drink local places I definitely say to check that out because something that the new board have done to encourage more Blues fans and other fans as well just to stay around the area for the time so I definitely encourage checking out some of them places what sort of atmosphere can we expect I mean it's been a long time for any of us since we've been to St Andrews so what sort of atmosphere can we expect these days uh I reckon it would be a good atmosphere um as I said the home games this season in the league we've sold out all of them and I don't know if you've seen the last minute celebrations to a gold against Wigan but the fans are definitely back on side with the team and it's been a long time since we've been able to say that so I expect it to be a really good atmosphere I'm sure you allot are going to bring a good atmosphere as well and I'm really looking forward to the game because I feel like the feel good factor is back around the club and when the fans are up for it St Andrews can be a real tough place for teams to go and I just hope that the fans create that atmosphere the hostility that's been lacking from St Andrews in the last few years and uh yeah we we'll see how the game goes it sounds sounds almost like weird to say but obviously you've been to League one but it feels in some ways it's not a bad time to be buram fan in terms of the ownership there's a lot of positivity you're winning games even if it is in in League one is that the general vibe that everybody's just kind of a bit more on board with the project rather than just being you know obviously the the craziness of of last season and I guess the season before that even as well yeah because if we would have got relegated under the previous ownership bshl we would have been screwed because them guys are really running the club dayto day not looking after it kind of doing the bare minimum to get by whereas with nighthead although we have been relegated and part of that is because of the decisions they've made with manager managerial situation and everything but what they're doing for the community and rejuvenating the stadium and the plans they've got for the future the fans are really bind to it because it's optimism that we haven't seen in such a long time and I feel like it was just good people that made bad choices last season with what happened on the pitch but everyone's behind them and as I said before you know that Feelgood Factor it really does play out into the stadium and we'll see plenty of noise I mean lots of tickets sold already I think there's what less than 100 to go so we have been relegated but I just hope that we come back next season as a stronger entity regardless of what division we're in I mean hopefully it's the championship because of the amount of money we spent and who knows what rules could come into play after that who's the uh who's the key man for you so I'm sure there's plenty you can pick from who's the key man and is there any any obvious weakness that you think rexam should look to exploit um I'll I'll start with that point actually because it's kind of similar to what I said earlier and the fact that we haven't really kept a proper clean sheet this season because we've just been leaking goals here and there and they've kind of been down to individual errors and two of the goals we can see I mean the one against Wigan it's gone straight through peacock fr's arms and then late in orent it's from him playing out from the back and giving the ball away and there were some people saying that Ryan orop should come to the team so I'm not sure how peock F's feeling at the moment maybe he's a bit Cy so it's kind of just really testing the keeper because at the moment he's been not that convincing still pretty good but I mean there is a bit of competition with him and AO and in terms of the player to look out for for us the best signing for us so far has been Mark Leonard I I I think he's been brilliant in the team joined from Northampton last season where he was playing League one football and he's been a really consistent figure in the midfield for us because a problem for so long at Birmingham is that we hadn't had a center midfielder that was composed with the ball and could properly keep it because as I said earlier it was very much a 442 system at Birmingham you just had your Battlers in the Center Midfield but Mark Leonard just brings a different kind of class that we haven't seen in such a long time and with us trying to do this passing stuff keeping possession he's really tidy on the ball so if you can stifle Mark Leonard then you've got a good chance of winning but on his day he's just a superb partial of the board his movement's amazing as well I think we were in for him I'm sure he was rumored to we yes yeah I remember seeing that yeah so Leonard versus Dobson will be an interesting that's the battle definitely Reese sting S I was gonna say should we do predictions I'm buzzing this one now I'm actually gonna be in a Pub in Abu if any Abu Reds are listening to then recommend a pub I'll be able to watch the gameer I'd be very grateful um but yeah looking forward to it wi is gonna be better in the pub crossed right you do you wna go first yeah I'm gonna go I'm gonna go cheeky 21 win for the town um I I mean I I something we could probably talk about a bit later on before we wrap things up properly but I I probably would take a point there obviously um but I'm I'm going two on the town uh I'll go next as I mentioned earli in the podcast I feel like I have to predict a loss now every week until we lose because I have been so uh if it's going to be one it has to be this one I know I said that about Peter bruh um and we went and talked them two-nil but I'm gonna say I'm gonna say one nil to Birmingham and I think it'll be a tight one there won't be much in it uh I could easily see there being another nil nil um but you know this is going far too well at the moment it surely surely it can't go on Doom and Gloom bring it on me yeah go on Liam uh I'm going to go for a one all draw just to just so we got a bit of uh a variety um I I don't see this one as a free hit in that you know I I wouldn't exactly be happy if we we lost but I think a point or free points is you know is decent for us so I'd settle for a one all draw so I'll go for that H I'm I'm infused by the fact you've got a dodgy goalkeeper so I'm providing peacock Farrell stays between the sticks that could be great like just pepper the goal we we we seem to be a lot better at set pieces this year corners and everything you know especially Corners we were Dreadful last year at times so I am dodgy keeper tells me it's going to be 3-1 to us but it's just not no no I just think as great as we are have being at home and I imagine that will continue I think as long as you don't lose on the road it'll be fine so I I think it'll be stranger I think it's going to be a goal as draw be similar to Bol be an entertaining one but I think it'll be a goalless one so I'm I'll go nil nil I'll quy take that Sam Sam do your wor uh well listening to what all you guys have got to say and what I said earlier I'm actually gon to agree with Liam I'm going to say one or draw um because I think with our attack I think we can score against anybody in the league but still worried about the defense so I'm not going to predict a clean sheet but i' also predict us to score so one will draw for me there we are most of us Andrew's Gone full gunko he's having it 21 like that I mean 21's not massively gunko it's not like I've gone t for I'm just going we're gonna get a cheeky it's again I'm going to keep reiterating it until it kind of happens Oly Palmer's bell end 90th minute 21 enough and that is the first time I've heard you say that oh is it oh you've been lucky you've been lucky I don't know why I'm trying to Manifest this it wasn't something I particularly wanted to manifest but it's going to happen at some point everybody always talks about goals off the [ __ ] to to win games uh yeah it's it's gonna happen at some point I think maybe it's Monday night well week on Monday you know what and like everybody's going enjoy it it's going to be a great occasion you know two two 2,200 tickets um lucky enough to to get one and yeah if you've not been before it's amazing there might be a few of us that have been in the past um it's just a really you it's a really solid Solid Ground you know big city second biggest city you know in England so yeah let's enjoy it I know there there was some talk that if you park in and around the ground that it may be stripped for parts there's a lot of talk about that so if you if you are parking in around the ground just be careful or at least do a bit of read to be honest it's Carnage if you park I I wouldn't recommend parking near to the ground they've still got to sort that out yeah no fair enough but yeah I think I think I think as an occasion it' be very interesting that's the reason it's been selected for for TV um yeah Monday night is not not great for for those traveling especially train kind of get a a late train back but I think it'll be it'll be some spectacle this is what we've we've been working towards for so long you know another big game another big test and uh yeah we'll see what happens so it should be should be a good one and I think I think that's everything isn't it what else should we talk about Barry Horn Brian Hughes all those kind of like little Birmingham links well yeah I mean uh it's going to be a hell of a an atmosphere there I'm very jealous of people who are going in as I mentioned any ABI Reds do hit me up I'll be in the whatever your whatever your best pub is um but yeah thank you for listening Andrew that's it I think isn't it yeah unless wanted to talk a little bit about Wales I don't know we're gonna skip over that and possibly I don't know if S I went Samy wel we're G play well I thought uh yeah it was good it was good it was it was weird it was weird because I don't know I don't know what it was it was a bit of a flat atmosphere in C before the game it was okay in the ground I think new regime nobody really knows what to expect everybody was a bit baguer because of the the Rob page days just kind of like you know faded into nothing really so I don't think anybody was expecting there to be such an impact at that stage you four or five days on the training ground with the players so yeah you know to to to dominate a team like turkey um and almost Nick it and for him to come out afterward and say that'll be the worst that we'll get you know he's he's again putting some serious pressure onto his players there but yeah you know o as well it be very interesting to see how we get on against uh Montenegro so that's the next game and it needed freshening up that's what we've got um there there is strong calls again oh Mullen would have scored this that and the other and I was one of those people in the past who were like I love mullin's play Wales and I would have done but I think it's enough time has passed now for us to to maybe think think about different scenarios and other situations as much as I'd love to see him get a call up um I I think probably almost maybe that ship has sailed yeah I did see in the seats go on go on Andrew I was G to say yeah there was some comments I saw from Rex and fans um online which is always fun about like having a genuinely being in uo that Mullen wasn't called up this time and it's like he's he's played like at that point time you play like what two 10 minute 15 minute Cameo appearances after having spinal surgery it's like hopefully he is Rusty as well you can see it yeah I mean there's lots of will in there but he is Rusty there was a couple of chances actually at the weekend where he thought if he was a few games into that where he's been starting games he'd be scoring those chances but yeah the fact that like he's he's just come off spinal surgery that what two I think it was at that point you had two 15 minute runouts 20- minute runouts and then this is like genuine like um unbelievability that he not been caught up for the Wales team for the first time ever it's like if that happens it'll happen it's not going to happen in this situation right now maybe for the next squads or the next squads after that anyway sorry re I cut you off there no I was I was just going to say I was in the Posh seats um food was good and the security guy in there was Andrew from the traitors so a great really a great evening was had by all the big massive fell big massive wel who yeah who nearly won oh I liked him how Posh were these Posh seats though were they were they like plush seats themselves or were they just your normal fact no they were just normal plastic number unfortunately yeah I was really annoyed about that um yeah yeah and the weather was absolutely diabolical I'm a test I've never been uh as drenched as I was I left I left rexon in shorts and a t-shirt it was 26 degrees right I got to card said he said you brought raincoat I was like why he said it's s it's raining sideways here were his words it was thunderstorms it was horrendous it was so bad um but yeah there we are Rex are top of League one and and Wales are play like uh Brazil so that's nice yeah well anyway that's enough of subject new to Wales chat Sam uh thank you everyone for joining us as always um who is sponsored by the fat the fatb group check out the M quein the fatb Hill Street social CH Howell F cocktail bar the carnivore the uh bck and probably some other place by the time this this this has been put out to the public because Rich Watkin is an eager beaver but yes thank you to the sponsor for all of those places I still think I've missed somewhere fat boy mold as well there we are yeah we are there we go bye everyone thanks a lot