PEAKY BLINDERS

Birmingham City won plenty of headlines for their Peaky Blinders PR gimmick this weekend. The Blues adopted the moniker of Small Heath Alliance for Saturday's Championship clash at home to Huddersfield Town in a nod to the hugely popular BBC drama. Unfortunately, the result didn't go their way as Huddersfield sealed a 2-0 win - and the West Yorkshire side even had a cheeky dig at their hosts following the game.

A message on Huddersfield's official Ywitter account said: “Three points coming home, by order of Huddersfield Town. “Comfortable win on the road against The Leaky Blinders makes it 1️7 games unbeaten in all competitions for the Terriers!” The Blues decided on the "one-off" name change in celebration of its connection to the BBC series, which is set in the Small Heath area of the city. The sixth and final season of the show airs on BBC One today, Sunday, February 27 at 9pm.

Birmingham City FC was founded back in 1875 as Small Health Alliance, before the club name was later changed. The club posted a message earlier this week, saying: "We're going back to Small Heath. The Club will be embracing its history ahead of the final series launch of @ThePeakyBlinder.

A club statement added: "As well as a switchover on our social media channels and a retro feel to our pre-match content, game-going fans will be able to get their hands on a specially curated Small Heath Alliance matchday programme, ticket office staff and the reception team will be adorned in flat caps, and the BBC has produced a number of Small Heath Alliance scarves that will be laid out on seats in areas of the ground."

The name "Peaky Blinder" was explained by the fact that the gang members in that area of Birmingham, would stitch disposable razor blades into the peaks of their flat caps, which could then be used as weapons. ... APPARENTLY.... but listen to the link, below, which suggests something else. "Blinder" was a familiar Birmingham slang term (still used today) to describe something or someone of dapper appearance. Bear with this link for about 5 minutes and the American accent....oh, and the  adverts....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDxxr02Z_nM.....they may been attributed to stealing the FA Cup in 1895, won by Aston Villa who beat West Bromich Albion 1-0, scoring in the first minute of the first final played at the Crystal Palace stadium. 

The trophy (above) was on show in a Birmingham Jewellry shop owned by William Shilcock, a business chum of William MacGregor, the founder of the Football League. The trophy was "lost" on September 11th 1895, stolen from the shop at 77 Newtown Road, and never seen again. A £10 reward was offered for information of the theft. It is worth doing some research on this!