A last-minute penalty had just beaten promotion hopefuls Leeds in the second of what would be a five-game unbeaten streak to start the season.
After 10 games, Birmingham sat fifth following a commanding 3-1 win over local rivals West Brom, in front of their largest home crowd since before the pandemic.
Dilapidated areas of St Andrew’s, left in such disrepair that whole stands had been shut the previous season, were back open – and gleaming.
The broken old showers in the home dressing room were finally fixed.
The players’ tunnel had been decorated with inspirational quotes and pictures. Finally, this house felt like home again.
“We are not here for a short period of time, we are here for the long haul,” said Wagner, the new club chairman, following that first home win of the season.
“All of our decisions are focused on what’s best for the club in the long term.”
Football is never simple. Good times rarely last too long, and words are easy. But even with the unwanted helping of deja vu, that quote would come back to haunt Wagner, Brady and Birmingham quicker than anyone could have imagined.
They have now been relegated to the third tier for the first time in almost 30 years.
To paraphrase the poetry of Birmingham fan Mike Skinner, how has it come to this?
