In times of muted expectations and unfulfilled promise, the distinction of being “Kings of the Midlands” takes on a real significance. Competing at the top of the table may have been too much of a stretch, but we were still above our local rivals. Being the biggest club in England’s second city meant something dammit.

A few years ago, it looked like we might be entering something of a Golden Age of West Midlands football as all of the big four of Aston Villa, Birmingham City, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and West Bromwich Albion were together in the top flight for the first time in a generation. That of course never came to pass, as Small Heath and Wolves have descended into farce.

Albion on the other hand have stayed the course. Unlike Blues and Wolves, the Baggies never spent beyond their means, overpaid for mediocrity, made panicked managerial changes, or deviated from the course of responsibility and sustainability.

Meanwhile, Villa could be accused of many of those acts, and we all know how lucky we are to still be in the top division. Villa could also be said to be now running themselves in a similar manner to Albion, although one would think and hope our glass ceiling is a bit higher.

Derbies are more about the fans than the players on the pitch. For the first time in decades, West Brom fans have their chests out as they have finished ahead of us two years in a row. Those of you in Birmingham have had to listen to the West Brom fans lording it up, which must be a peculiar type of irritation – after all this was a club that was the proverbial yo-yo and fairly irrelevant. The hate will never compare to Birmingham City, but I think we all want to be able to put West Brom in their place at this point.

In a way, it is good that the heat has been turned up between Villa and Albion. Barring a meeting in one of the cups, we probably won’t be seeing another Second City Derby for a long time. As fun as it is to revel in the misfortune of Birmingham City, I must admit that I do miss the derby. Especially after they defeated us on the way to winning the League Cup, and that we failed to defeat them when they were last in the league, I still miss the intensity of the rivalry.

If this derby can get even a little closer to that level of hostility and passion, it will certainly add some excitement to a relatively uneventful season of consolidation. After the last two years, finishing ahead of West Brom would give us something to hang our hats on. On the inside of the shirt, behind the crest and right over the heart it says “The Pride of Birmingham.” For the fans, that has never been in doubt, so now it’s up to the lads to show it.

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