Yahoo News What happened to the Birmingham City team who played on Jude Bellingham's debut
Jude Bellingham is on top of the world right now. Having completed a league and European double in his first season as a Real Madrid player, the Birmingham City academy product now has his sights set on guiding his country to long-awaited international glory when he returns to Germany later this month for Euro 2024.
After a short break between footballing commitments, Bellingham will soon be back in action, a fixture in Gareth Southgate's XI. He doesn't even turn 21 until later this month, yet he has already played 218 senior matches, including on the biggest of stages.
The Champions League final at Wembley, against his former club Borussia Dortmund, was a grand occasion for Bellingham and involved a fitting outcome ahead of what could be an even bigger summer. He, Vinicius Jr and Co are set to welcome Kylian Mbappe into the Real ranks this summer, too.
The golden boy of Birmingham has come an awfully long way in a remarkably short space of time. Shortly after agreeing a scholarship with Blues following his 16th birthday in 2019, Bellingham was thrust into the first-team spotlight by Pep Clotet, who deemed him ready and deserving of a crack in a senior environment. Bellingham became the club's youngest ever player when he started the EFL Cup tie with League One Portsmouth that August.
Bellingham played 81 minutes of the 3-0 defeat and, despite the score-line and being surrounded by vastly more senior teammates and opponents, he very quickly looked at home in a first-team match situation. It was a much changed team named by Clotet on the night, and perhaps the outcome shouldn't have been a surprise - but the story was of Bellingham's breakthrough. What of the team who played with him that night?
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Goalkeeper - David Stockdale: The experienced and decorated goalkeeper had been displaced by Lee Camp as the club's first choice. Stockdale then embarked on a series of loan spells, including to Wycombe Wanderers and Coventry City. He helped Sheffield Wednesday return to the Championship in 2023 and then spent last season at York City. He is a director at non-league Droitwich Spa FC.
Right-wing-back - Josh Dacres-Cogley: Another Blues academy product who also enjoyed some first-team exposure during his development. He played 13 times, mostly under Gary Rowett and then Gianfranco Zola. Was allowed to leave for good in 2021 for Tranmere Rovers, but he signed for Bolton last summer - and came within 90 minutes and a play-off final away from helping the Trotters back to the Championship.
Centre-back - Wes Harding: The likeable defender has made a career for himself in the Championship and has come up against Blues plenty of times in recent years. Having racked up 140 appearances in three years with Rotherham - including 89 in the Championship - he joined Rowett at Millwall last summer. Harding has represented Jamaica previously.
Centre-back - Geraldo Bajrami: Brummie Bajrami stayed local after leaving Blues in 2021. Having had a loan spell with Solihull Moors, he returned to non-league with Kidderminster Harriers before Notts County offered him another crack at the National League. Last year he helped the Pies return to the EFL, but suffered a cruciate ligament injury in August and missed the entirety of their League 2 campaign. He has eight Albania under 21 caps.
Centre-back - Jake Clarke-Salter: The Chelsea academy kid was on loan with Blues having previously been with Bristol Rovers and Sunderland. Clarke-Salter actually returned for a second loan spell a year later, but he struggled to break into the team under Aitor Karanka. A year later, JCS joined Coventry City on another loan before he finally set down roots back in London, with QPR, in 2022.
Left-wing-back - Steve Seddon: For the defender, who generally applied himself impressively in various roles down the left-hand side for Blues, this would be an outing against a future side. Seddon was exposed briefly to the Championship, but the majority of his 200 senior appearances and the career he has built has come away from St Andrew's. On the books of Championship Oxford, but spent last season helping Burton avoid relegation.
Central midfield - Craig Gardner: Along with Stockdale, the really experienced head who accompanied Bellingham on this night. In Blues folklore for his part in the club's Carling Cup triumph in 2011. Returned in 2017 as they slid down the table under Zola and aided their survival under Harry Redknapp. Dabbled in player coaching before retiring in 2020. Quickly u-turned after an ill-fated trip to Sheffield Wednesday and is now technical director.
Central midfield - Agus Medina: The left-field inclusion in this team. While Bellingham was largely surrounded by fellow academy graduates, Medina had arrived that summer as Blues looked to take advantage of their partnership with Spanish side UE Cornella, but Medina struggled this night. Appeared as a sub days later in a draw with Bristol City and was never seen again. Returned to Cornella in January 2020.
Central midfield - Charlie Lakin: The midfielder had a first-team breakthrough under Gary Monk the season before this and was more exposed to first-team football than many in this side, but he only ever made EFL Cup appearances for Blues after this. Spent time playing regular football out on loan in England and Scotland before joining Burton. Earned 2024 player of the year at relegated Sutton after scoring eight goals in 21 appearances, while on loan.
False nine - Dan Crowley: An eclectic career, which had taken him to the Netherlands, led Crowley to Blues this summer and, although a playmaker by trade, he operated as the most advanced player this night. Fell out of favour when Karanka arrived and he was shipped out on loan to Hull. More adventures took him back to the Netherlands and then to Morecambe, but last season he was with Bajrami at Notts County and scored 16 goals in 50 appearances.
Blues substitutes that night: Connal Trueman (Millwall), Odin Bailey (Salford City), Caolan Boyd-Munce (St Mirren), Corey O'Keeffe (Barnsley), Ryan Stirk ( Walsall ), Joe Redmond (St Patrick's Athletic), Ryan Burke (Waterford).
