Retired Numbers
Four years ago Birmingham City retired the 22 shirt after Jude Bellingham left them having just turned 17 for £25M plus add ons.
We all thought BCFC were mad to retire the number 22 shirt but have they been proved right four years down the line. His transfer quite possibly saved them from administration.
This is unique among English League teams to retire a shirt when an ex player is still alive.
Only nine teams in the Premiership and EFL have retired numbers including ourselves. West Ham have two retired numbers.
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Comments
Would they have retired his shirt if it was say 8, 9 or 10?
A 22 is a bit of an obscure number so easily done.
Could say ther same about retiring Mark Philos 14.... a superb gesture by the club regardless, but would they have thought up a different memorial idea if he was number 9?
I hope that comment dosn't come across disrespectful in anyway. I was just thinking out loud.
We should have retired number 20, as nobody was big enough to fill Bayo's shirt.
Anyone with that number should be forced to play in a Bayo sized shirt.
There was a post on Twitter the other day about us retiring the 14 shirt. Given the circumstances - drink driving and ultimately taking another life, the post suggested it was laughable that we retired it. I couldn’t recall if it was retired before the facts came to light but it does beg the question as to whether we silently reintroduce the shirt number to our playing squad.
It’s probably one of those situations where if it was reintroduced, it would generate conversation and therefore maybe it’s better to do nothing and just continue to not use that number.
The other question of course is what would happen if we made a marquee signing whose lucky shirt number was 14!
Henry?
I'd take that.
Thierry, presumably? He’s only 46.
Would still destroy League One.
Would he be picked ahead of Big Sam, though?
It was definitely before the full facts came out.
A much documented dreadful scenario all round and probably best left alone for a couple of generations.
Speaking of numbers, there are vacancies for the 1, 3, 5 and 11 now. I expect Bishop, Low and Sadlier to be 1, 5 and 11 (if they want those numbers) but I don't expect any of the current squad to have the 3, rather whoever we can get in to replace the great man.
Wonder what JJ's next step will be.
Be a tragedy if he doesn’t get another club
Depends if he wants to take that route. Would definitely get one if he wants, but he was open to other ideas.
Wonder if the finance career was still an option? Or maybe that was more if the Wycombe move hadn't gone well and he was out of contract in his late 20s/ early 30s.
I did see another footballer who retired mid 30s and went into a 100k + finance job! Forget the name.
Thought it was accountancy he was trying for a degree in?
So did I.
I should have put "something to do with money".