A third competition began early in the 1960/61 season when Blues were under the helm of a new man, the one and only Gil Merrick.The long-serving keeper had swapped his boots for a suit and was fulfilling his lifelong ambition of managing the club that he had served so magnificently as a player for more than two decades.

Blues boss Gil Merrick

HUNGARIAN CHAMPIONS FLY IN
Blues had made a promising start to the First Division season and an unbeaten August saw Gil Merrick's side riding high in fourth place. Five defeats in the next eight matches however tumbled them down the league although a single goal success over fellow mid-table side Chelsea was a boost for morale ahead of the visit from Hungarian champions Ujpest Dosza in the first leg of the Fairs Cup first round tie.
Merrick made just one change from the side that had overcome the London Blues four days earlier with inside-forward Jimmy Singer recovering from a poisoned foot that had forced him to miss the previous two matches. Trevor Smith had been sidelined for three games with an ankle injury that required a manipulative operation and although he'd made a successful comeback in the reserves, Graham Sissons kept the centre-back berth for the Wednesday night European clash under the St. Andrew's floodlights. Merrick commented: "I cannot change a defence which has played so well in the last three games." The Blues manager made a late decision on his five forward players as he waited to find out what kind of surface his team would be playing on. "More heavy rain will force me to change my plans," he explained. But in the end he opted to make fit-again Singer the only change to his line-up, in place of Robin Stubbs - the latter may have been preferred to Billy Rudd had the pitch been heavier.
Merrick had flown straight out to Budapest after the win over Chelsea to watch Dosza's league game on the Sunday. The Blues manager's verdict: "They are a good side - but there is no reason why we should be overawed by them," he insisted. "They use a circular plan in defence. If a defender breaks loose to attack, the rest of the rearguard rotates to the fill the gap - it's quite effective." Dosza's outside-left Mihaly Toth was sent off in the first 15 minutes of that league game and was subsequently left out of the travelling party bound for England. Experienced striker Ferenc Szusza was also rested for the match but the 39-capped international returned to the team for the St. Andrew's clash. Blues were sure to face a tough test against a side that had recently beaten Red Star Belgrade in both legs of a European Cup tie and also turned over AC Milan 4-2 in a friendly in Italy. They had also won six and drawn one of their eight league games so far that season and they were leading the way again at the top of the table.

BLUES EDGE FIRST LEG THRILLER - October 19, 1960

Johnny Gordon

A topsy-turvy first leg encounter at St. Andrew's went in Blues' favour courtesy of a late Johnny Gordon goal. Blues were protecting a proud record of not having lost in any of their Fairs Cup games on home soil whilst the visitors had been beaten only twice on their European travels in ten years so something had to give in this contest of two good sides.
Janos Gorocs fired the Hungarian team into the lead after 15 minutes but Gordon headed the hosts level before the interval. Inside-right Gorocs, a talented 21-year-old who could already boast 18 senior international caps for his country and was considered as the heir to the crown vacated by Hungary legend Ferenc Puskás, doubled his personal tally to put the visitors back in front four minutes into the second half. But Blues dug deep and Gordon Astall lashed home a tremendous volley to level the scores.
The hosts were denied by several good saves from Dosza keeper Gabor Torak as Blues dominated the late proceedings although, to be fair to Laszlo Fenyvesi's side, they were forced to play most of the second half with right-half Jozsef Szini limping around at outside-left due to an injury - competition rules stated that the only player that was allowed to be substituted was the goalkeeper. The first leg was eventually decided seven minutes from a time as Gordon again showed his aerial prowess to head home the winner.
Gil Merrick described it afterwards as 'the best team performance since I became manager'. But with a narrow lead to protect in the second leg in Budapest, an equally impressive display would be required if Blues were to progress.

BLUES BOUND FOR BUDAPEST - October 26, 1960

Gil Merrick vowed to keep faith with his first leg heroes for the big Second City derby at Villa Park just three days later but a 6-2 mauling at the hands of the local rivals gave the Blues boss food for thought ahead of the re-match against Dosza. He opted to bring back fit-again Trevor Smith into the centre of defence for the game in Budapest. One other change saw a debut for 34-year-old former West Brom captain Ray Barlow, who had left the Hawthorns after 16 years and more than 500 competitive for the Baggies, in place of Gordon Astall.
Blues' chances of progressing were given a boost before kick-off with the news that Janos Gorocs, scorer of both Dosza's goals in the first leg, was unavailable due to his commitments with the national side. But the hosts still had feared striker Ferenc Szusza in their ranks. He may have been getting towards the twilight of his career at 36 but he was still a prolific marksman as proved by his incredible scoring rate of 392 goals in 463 league games; in fact Ujpest renamed their stadium after Szusza in 2003.
Szusza came close to open the scoring in the 19th minute but he was denied by a great save from Johnny Schofield and the Blues keeper was called into action again on the half-hour to block a shot from Laszlo Pataki. The nearest the visitors came to breaking the second leg deadlock in the first half was an effort from Dick Neal which Dosza keeper Gabor Torok just managed to hold.
The hosts levelled the aggregate score just after the hour and it was no surprise that danger man Szusza was the man who got the goal. And Blues looked to be really up against it when first leg two-goal hero Johnny Gordon was sent off with 20 minutes remaining. Merrick felt that the official had lost control of the game, saying: "His ideas of the rules were entirely contrary to ours."
But after a tremendous backs-to-the-wall defensive display from Blues had ensured no more goals were conceded, the ten men scored twice late on to secure victory on the night, as well as in the tie as a whole. Merrick said afterwards: "It was a tremendously hard battle. The defence was absolutely magnificent - every one of them. Our lads pulled out everything to keep the Hungarians out. When Billy Rudd got a goal five minutes from the end even with ten men we threw everything into attack. Then Jimmy Singer snatched a last-minute winner. It was great."

THE TEAMS
First Leg
Blues: Schofield, Farmer, Allen, Watts, Sissons, Neal, Hellawell, Rudd, Gordon, Singer, Astall.
Ujpest Dosza: Torok, Rajna, Varhidi, Gyorvari, Borsanyi, Szini, Szusza, Jagodics, Gorocs, Kuharszky, Bencsics.

Second Leg
Ujpest Dosza: Torok, Rajna, Szurari, Szini, Varhidi, Borsanyi, Jagodics, Kuharszky, Szusza, Pataki, Horvath.
Blues: Schofield, Farmer, Allen, Watts, Smith, Neal, Hellawell, Barlow, Gordon, Singer, Rudd.

Next: Gil Merrick's Blues face Danish side Boldklub Copenhagen in round two and there are goals aplenty!

DANISH BLUES
Blues did not have the best of preparations for their next European challenge as they were hammered 6-0 by Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane on the previous weekend. Admittedly this was Bill Nicholson's all-conquering Spurs side that went on to clinch the league and cup double season. It was a debut to forget for the latest recruit to Gil Merrick's squad, inside-forward Jimmy Bloomfield, but the new signing from Arsenal and the rest of the team had a quick opportunity to get that defeat out of their system as they flew out to the wonderful Copenhagen. The 11 players from the Spurs game were joined by Gordon Astall, Billy Rudd, Brian Farmer and third-string keeper Keith Draper. Right-back Farmer missed the weekend game due to a back injury sustained in a midweek League Cup defeat to Second Division side Plymouth Argyle but he had made an excellent recover and was set to return to the Blues defence.
Waiting for the Blues squad when they touched down in Copenhagen was boss Merrick who had flown over early to watch Boldklub's final league game of the season which finished a 2-2 draw. The Blues manager commented: "Boldklub are an all-amateur side and the match I saw earned them a second place finish in the league.They are very good and we shall have to be our best to beat them."
Blues trained on the pitch on the evening ahead of the game and it left Merrick with some concerns over the standard of the floodlights. "Compared with the lights of grounds in England, they are very poor. The Danish club realise this and hoped it would not affect the play."
Not only was the lighting poor but the anticipated record attendance did not materialise. The hosts were hoping for a 20,000-plus crowd but in the end, due to the kick-off being moved to the late afternoon and the game being shown live on TV all across Scandinavia, just a tenth of that number bothered to venture away from their armchairs. "It affected the players though, for the atmosphere was all wrong for them," admitted Merrick.

EIGHT-GOAL THRILLER - November 23, 1960
Snow which had thawed and further rain left the Copenhagen pitch in a muddy state with pools of water in the goalmouths and it was the home side that adapted better to the heavy conditions early on. Boldklub took the lead on 34 minutes when a high cross from Ejvind Clausen's high cross into the area was headed home by Jorgen Ravn.
Blues hit back almost immediately though as Johnny Gordon latched into George Allen's long through ball and fired past Niels Jensen. The visitors upped their game and deservedly took the lead four minutes after interval when Jimmy Singer netted from Dick Neal's pass. Gil Merrick's side were now dominating proceedings and it was no surprise when Blues scored again with Singer's second of the game, set up by Mike Hellawell.
Boldklub reduced the deficit through Clausen's header before Blues restored their two-goal advantage as Gordon completed his brace via a shot from corner. With only 20 minutes to go, Blues appeared to be coasting to comfortable first leg success but they didn't bank on the fortitude of their Danish hosts. Leif Mortensen hit the crossbar before Jens Torstensen waltzed around several Blues defenders to score his side's third goal. And the comeback was complete when Clausen grabbed his second of the game with a header from another corner.
Merrick admitted afterwards: "It was disappointing not to come home with a winning margin after being in front but these Danes can play a bit. Johnny Gordon got two great goals with his head and Singer had a fine game."

BOSS BACKS WITHERS
Having endured a nightmare debut conceding six goals at White Hart Lane, reserve team keeper Colin Withers was criticised by some sections of the press for his performance in the 4-4 draw in Copenhagen. The 20-year-old got his chance after first-choice shot-stopper Johnny Schofield suffered a fractured skull. But despite taking his tally of goals conceded to double figures in his first two games, Withers received the backing of his manager, Gil Merrick, who of course was one of the country's best keepers during his playing days.
"Withers did very well," insisted Merrick. "I could not have done better under the circumstances. He was playing under the worst floodlights I have seen and the ball was covered in mud. He made some brilliants saves early on when the ball could be seen more easily."

HARRIS SET UP FOR DEBUT
The second leg of the tie was played at St. Andrew's two weeks later and by that time another new face had arrived in the home dressing room. Blues splashed out £20,000 to lure Jimmy Harris away from Everton.
The 26-year-old had recently turned down a move to West Brom but he opted to sign for Blues after being promised the number nine shirt by Gil Merrick. Harris had been at Goodison Park from the age of 15 and during those years he was played for long spells as a winger when his preferred position was centre forward.
After completing his move to Blues, Harris commented: "Now my chance has come with Blues because Mr Merrick has told me he will play me as a centre-forward. I understand that if I Joined the Albion I would also have to play as a winger." Merrick insisted: "Our firm bid was not made until we had heard that Harris had declined to sign for Albion."
Harris added: "It is strange moving to another club, and another city, after such a long time with Everton - particularly considering that I was still a first team player at Goodison Park. But when they signed Alex Young from Hearts, I knew my first team days as a centre-forward were numbered."

WONDERFUL BLUES HAMMER COPENHAGEN - December 7, 1960

Blues strolled into the semi-finals of the Fairs Cup after a comprehensive 5-0 win with home debutant Jimmy Harris and the other recent recruit Jimmy Bloomfield both on target.
Three goals in four blistering minutes early in the second half knocked the stuffing out of the visitors and ensured a comfortable ride into the last four. Robin Stubbs set Blues on their way with the opener after only four minutes as he burst onto Johnny Watt's long ball and fired past Niels Jensen. The goal rush started three minutes after the interval when Harris took advantage of a goalkeeper error to notch his first goal for his new club. The visitors number one wasn't covering himself in glory and just 60 seconds later he failed to hold a weak effort from Harris and Mike Hellawell followed up to score. Blues' fourth goal came from Bloomfield after another slip from the keeper on 53 minutes and the scoring was completed midway through the second half as Stubbs cut in from the right and fired home with a thunderous shot.

THE TEAMS
First Leg
Copenhagen: Jensen, Helbrandt, Poulsen, Krog, Kjoge, Busk, Clausen, Ravn, Torstensen, Sorensen, Mortensen.
Blues: Withers, Farmer, Allen, Watts, Smith, Neal, Hellawell, Gordon, Singer, Bloomfield, Taylor.

Second Leg
Blues: Withers, Farmer, Allen, Watts, Smith, Neal, Hellawell, Stubbs, Harris, Bloomfield, Taylor.
Copenhagen: Jensen, Helbrandt, Poulsen, Krog, Kjoge, Petersen, Clausen, Ravn, J Sorensen, O Sorensen, Mortensen.

Next: Blues take on Italian giants Inter Milan in a two-legged semi-final with a daunting trip to the San Siro first up.

HARRIS WINS FITNESS BATTLE
Blues hardly pulled up any trees in the league during Gil Merrick's first season in charge but at the same time they never looked in danger of being dragged into a relegation battle.
The new manager's decision to bring in Everton striker Jimmy Harris halfway through the campaign for a hefty £20,000 fee proved to be money well spent. The Birkenhead boy helped fire Blues through to the semi-finals of the Fairs Cup with a goal against Copenhagen on his debut and he kept on hitting the net on a regular basis after that. So, having missed the 4-1 defeat to Manchester United the previous weekend, it was massive boost for Merrick and his team when the hot-shot declared himself fit for the midweek trip to Milan.
That heavy reversal at Old Trafford was hardly the best preparation for a trip to the San Siro but the good news was that their Italian hosts were having an even harder time of it in their domestic league. Inter had led the way at top of Serie A for most of the campaign but were going into the game against off the back of five straight defeats. And it was also confirmed that they would not be at full strength for the semi-final encounter. "For some strange reason they gave two of their European stars permission to go home for a rest," explained Merrick.
Another boost for the Blues boss came with a violent thunderstorm on the day of the game that helped to soften what had been a bone-hard pitch. "It's just how we wanted it now," he commented.
The only change to the side that lost to United came with Harris's inclusion in place of outside-left Brian Taylor. This forced a reshuffle with Bryan Orritt switching to the left flank and Robin Stubbs to inside-right with Harris leading the attack.
Blues would be facing a familiar figure in the opposition dugout, as manager of Inter Milan was Helenio Herrario, who just 12 months earlier was in charge of the Barcelona side that inflicted European heartbreak on Blues in that 1960 final.

HISTORIC WIN IN MILAN - April 19, 1961

Jimmy Harris scores against Inter at the San Siro

Blues produced a scintillating display of football as they swept aside their illustrious hosts during a tremendous first half for the visitors. Jimmy Bloomfield was the main inspiration behind the excellent start to the game as the former Arsenal inside-right saw his third minute header saved by Inter keeper Mario Da Pozzo and then set up Harris for the opening goal on 12 minutes.
Bloomfield's defence-splitting pass put Harris in the clear as the striker produced a composed finish to slot home past the keeper. The hosts should really have restored parity when Egidio Morbello fired wide when it seemed easier to score but this was the only real opportunity for the Italians during the opening period and Blues were soon on the attack again. Robin Stubbs had a header that whizzed just over bar and the second goal eventually arrived five minutes before the break when Costanzo Balleri headed past his own keeper when attempting to clear a cross from Mike Hellawell.
Blues went into the interval two goals to the good and not surprisingly it was far more fired up Inter side that re-emerged for the second half. But for all their endeavours, the home side struggled to break down a Blues defence well marshalled by Trevor Smith and Dick Neal.
They did pull a goal back with 12 minutes remaining when former Charlton striker Eddie Firmani slotted home from close range after a good run and cross from Mario Corso. Urged on by a vociferous home support, Inter desperately went in search of an equaliser that wasn't forthcoming and the Blues players could celebrate an historic victory at a ground where no other British club was to win for another 42 years, until Arsenal recorded a 5-1 success in 2003.

MERRICK SALUTES HIS MILAN HEROES

The Inter Milan v Blues matchday programme

It was an understandably upbeat Blues manager Gil Merrick that spoke to the press after this fantastic victory on Italian soil. "We did very well indeed up to 15 minutes from time when we went on the defensive," said Merrick. "Helenio Herrera, the former Barcelona manager who now controls the Internazionale team, told me after the match that he too was pleased with our showing. And the Italian crowd was full of praise for Colin Withers, Terry Hennessey and Jimmy Bloomfield."
He continued: "I think our people back home in Birmingham can be proud of them. I had expected Internazionale to be a much better team. They were rather tired and confused. There were only 22,000 supporters at the game but they ganged behind our goal and made enough noise for 52,000 - most of it abuse towards their own players! Bless our St. Andrew's crowd. They have their disappointments but at least they don't show it like these Italians."

THE TEAMS
First Leg
Inter: Da Pozzo, Picchi. Gatti, Bolchi, Guarneri, Balleri, Bicicli, Corso, Firmani, Masiero, Morbello.
Blues: Withers, Farmer, Allen, Hennessey, Smith, Neal, Hellawell, Gordon, Stubbs, Harris, Bloomfield, Orritt.

Next: With a one-goal lead to take into the home leg at St. Andrew's, could Blues complete the job and progress to another European final?

AULD ACQUAINTAINCE NOT TO BE FORGOTTEN

Bertie Auld

An inauspicious end to the 1960/61 season saw Gil Merrick's charges lose their final five league games to finish in 19th position. They had accumulated enough points during the season to prevent any relegation fears and sandwiched in the middle of that poor sequence came the remarkable victory in Milan so the boys could perhaps be excused slightly for taking their eye off the ball when it came to the finale of the First Division season.
However, the downturn in results didn't go unnoticed by Merrick who decided that his team needed strengthening and he dipped into the club's coffers to pay Celtic £15,000 for their promising winger Bertie Auld. The 23-year-old was on the radar of several clubs, including high-flying Everton, but it was passion of the St. Andrew's manager that persuaded the Scot that St. Andrew's was the place to come to. Auld explain to Blues News: "Gil really sold the club to me. He came to me and said 'I want you to play for my club', that's how much he loved it."
Auld completed his move on May 1 and was thrown straight into the side for the second leg against Inter just two days later. He recalls: "I didn't really have time to get to know the other players but everybody was so kind and went out of their way to help me settle in. There was a fabulous scout there called Don Dorman, who was great friends with Gil, and they relied a lot on each other because of the passion they had for the club. Before the game I had a long afternoon with Don and he filled me in with what the club was all about and what their aims were."
The signing of Auld had created a buzz around St. Andrew's with 3,000 tickets sold for the game in the space of three hours after news broke about the latest addition to the Blues squad.
Despite scoring one of the Blues goals in a 3-2 defeat at Leicester on the previous weekend, Dennis Singer was the player to make way for Auld for the big semi-final showdown at St. Andrew's. Merrick made two other changes to the team with regular centre-back Trevor Smith returning after a two-game absence in place of Winston Foster and goalkeeper Johnny Schofield lining up between the sticks. Colin Withers had been the preferred number one during the second half of the campaign but he was ruled out after suffering the after-effects of inoculations received because of the club's upcoming post-season trip to Canada.
Former Charlton striker Eddie Firmani passed a late fitness test to play for the visitors having suffered concussion in Inter's league game at the weekend.

BERTIE'S DEBUT DELIGHT - May 3, 1961
It proved to be memorable night for new boy Bertie Auld as he helped set up both goals in a 2-1 home win that put Blues safely through to another Fairs Cup final with a 4-2 aggregate success over the two games.
Trailing by one goal from the first leg, the last thing the Italians would have wanted was to concede early on but that's exactly what happened as Blues' top scorer Jimmy Harris found the net after only two minutes. Auld fired in a fantastic drive from the left that Lorenzo Buffon, a cousin of the grandfather of current Juventus keeper Gianluigi Buffon, failed to hold. Dick Neal was first to the loose ball and his shot hit the post but the ever-alert Harris followed up to tuck the ball into the back of the net.
Inter responded and came close to restoring parity on the night when Eddie Firmani beat Blues keeper Johnny Schofield to a cross and only a last ditch clearance on the line from Trevor Smith denied the visitors.
But any hopes that Helenio Herrera's side had of getting back into the game were well and truly crushed in the 64th minute when Harris grabbed his second goal of the night to take his tally for the club to 17, having only signed midway through the season. The Birkenhead-born forward dived full length to head home from a dangerous Auld free-kick to the delight of a close-on 30,000 crowd inside St. Andrew's.
Inter did reduce the arrears just two minutes later when their star man, 28-year-old Swedish international Bengt Longskog, beat Schofield from fully 25 yards but Blues never looked in danger of letting their two-goal aggregate lead slip after that.

FINAL OPPONENTS CONFIRMED
Blues were forced to wait a week to discover who they would face in the final after the other semi-final tie between Scottish side Hibernian and Italian outfit Roma finished 5-5 on aggregate. Despite drawing 3-3 in Italy, the away goals rule didn't exist in those days and the two clubs eventually replayed on a neutral venue. This time there was never any doubt who would go through as Roma strolled to a 6-0 victory.
Blues' progress to the final also ensured that they would be involved in the Fairs Cup when it started up again for the following season. It had been suggested that the Football League should nominate a club to represent England and give another team the chance to go for glory on foreign shores. After Blues' magnificent performances in the tournament since its inauguration five years earlier, it would have been remarkably unfair if that had happened but the team's qualification for their second successive final meant that they were guaranteed another European adventure.

THE TEAMS
Blues: Schofield, Farmer, Allen, Hennessey, Smith, Neal, Hellawell, Orritt, Harris, Bloomfield, Auld.
Inter: Buffon, Gatti, Facchetti, Bolchi, Guarneri, Balleri, Rancati, Lindskog, Firmani, Morbello, Masiero.

Next: Blues prepared for their second European final and this time the opponents were top Italian side AS Roma. Gil Merrick's boys would be looking to build up a first leg lead from St. Andrew's to take into the return match on foreign soil.

STUTTERING START
Despite starting the 1961/62 season with a win over Fulham, Blues failed to build on that opening day success and a run of 11 games without a victory was the hardly the best preparation for a big European final. Gil Merrick's side were not only propping up the First Division table but just two days before the visit of AS Roma, the team suffered an embarrassing League Cup exit at the hands of Third Division Swindon Town. They may have been representing England in a Fairs Cup showdown, but this didn't stop the Football League from squeezing in a cup replay against the Robins just 48 hours before the main event - just imagine what the modern day football managers would make of that!
Merrick refused to be downbeat, even after rushing back from a spying mission in Italy to watch his side bow out 2-0 at the County Ground to their Wiltshire hosts. The previous seven days had seen a 2-1 home defeat to West Brom and a battling 1-1 draw at Arsenal and the Blues boss took plenty of encouragement from the performances in those games. "We played very well against the Albion and reasonably well against Arsenal," he said.
Teenage wing-halves Malcolm Beard and Terry Hennessey kept their place for the Roma game even though club captain Dick Neal was available again. The experienced midfielder had missed three first team games due to a pulled muscle in his neck but he had proved his fitness with an appearance for the reserves the night before, ironically back at the County Ground - the scene of the humiliating cup exit. However, Merrick said: "I feel the youngsters have earned their further chance."
There was a change in defence though as Trevor Smith missed the final after pulling a leg muscle in the Swindon cup match and he was replaced by Winston Foster. One other difference to the team came with the return of Scottish winger Bertie Auld, who had been rested at the County Ground due to a niggling thigh injury. He took the place of 16-year-old Dennis Thwaites, an apprentice that had come in for his debut against the Robins.
Merrick had flown out to Italy after his side's 1-1 draw at Arsenal to watch Roma and no doubt got plenty of food for thought after their 4-0 win over Catania. He could at least take some comfort in the knowledge that, whilst Luis Carniglia's side boasted a 100 per cent home record so far that season, they had lost all three of their away matches.

GREAT GOALKEEPING DENIES BLUES VICTORY - September 27, 1961

The 1961 Blues final team

His son Carlo is now plying his trade as a goalkeeper at Tottenham Hotspur, but almost half a century ago it was Fabio Cudicini that was making all the headlines in the English newspapers for his display between the sticks in the 1961 Fairs Cup final first leg at St. Andrew's.
The 26-year-old AS Roma keeper pulled off save after save to keep Blues at bay in what otherwise would have seen Gil Merrick's side take a healthy lead into the second leg. Blues had been struggling for goals all season but on this night they finally found their shooting boots but unfortunately discovered an Italian custodian who was determined not to let his goal be breached.
Terry Hennessey and Jimmy Bloomfield both went close early on before the visitors took the lead against the run of play after 30 minutes. Alberto Orlando escaped the attentions of Graham Sissons and crossed for Argentinean striker Pedro Manfredini to score lost past Johnny Schofield.
Blues continued to pepper the Roma area with some dangerous crosses that were just lacking the final killer touch. Conversely the visitors' attacks were few and far between but 17 minutes into the second half they doubled their lead. Gianpaolo Menichelli saw his shot cleared by Malcolm Beard but Manfredini was in the right place to send the ball crashing back past Schofield.
Then came Cudicini's solo show that included an incredible double save from the impressive Bertie Auld and Bryan Orritt, when it seemed the latter in particular was certain to score. The visiting keeper kept out everything that was aimed at goal until he was finally beaten with ten minutes left as Mike Hellawell cut in from the left and his shot found the back of the net.
Jimmy Harris struck the crossbar before Merrick's team got the equaliser that their attacking play had more than merited as the ball rebounded to Orritt. He gleefully poked the ball home after a goalmouth scramble to at least give Blues a glimmer of hope as they prepared for the return match in Rome a fortnight later.

BIG MATCH MEMORIES
It may be 49 years later but Blues defender Graham Sissons can still recall the performance of the AS Roma keeper Fabio Cudicini like it was yesterday.
Looking back on that memorable cup night at St. Andrew's, Sissons said "Their goalkeeper played a blinder - he stopped nearly everything that was thrown at him! We had enough chances to win the game easily but their keeper had one of those days."
When Cudicini was finally beaten it came from an unexpected source. Flying right winger Mike Hellawell was more renowned for setting up goals than scoring them. He remembers: "I played quite well in the final and apparently Roma were interested in signing me but I think that was just paper talk. In those days hardly anybody moved from England to play abroad - not like they do now."

THE TEAMS
Blues: Schofield, Farmer, Sissons, Hennessey, Foster, Beard, Hellawell, Orritt, Harris, Bloomfield, Auld.
Roma: Cudicini, Fontana, Corsini, Giuliano, Losi, Carpanesi, Orlando, Da Costa, Manfredini, Angelillo, Menichelli.

Next: Blues head for Rome with honours even and everything to play for in the second leg.

BOSS REMAINS POSITIVE
"We are optimistic about beating Roma," insisted Blues manager Gil Merrick as he prepared to lead his side into a very tricky second leg at the Olympic Stadium standing on level terms at 2-2 after the first match. "A great deal depends on whether we can get away to a good start with a quick goal or two. But there will have to be a big improvement on Saturday's display."
Three days earlier Merrick watched his side get hit for six against West Midlands rivals Wolves, although they did at least score three times themselves in a nine-goal thriller at St. Andrew's. "We had the encouragement of an early lead but then fell away disappointingly. If you give away four goals from dead-ball kicks, what can you expect," questioned the Blues boss.
The result left Blues rooted to the foot of the First Division table and few people gave Merrick's team much chance of pulling off a surprise win at the Olympic Stadium where Roma had won every league so far that season. Blues' hopes were also dealt a blow when Scottish winger Bertie Auld failed a fitness test on a troublesome groin injury and he was forced to stay behind as his team mates boarded the plane at Elmdon Airport. Brian Taylor was dropped from the side that suffered the heavy defeat to Wolves with the winger relegated to the reserves whilst striker Jimmy Singer operating at outside-left.
After touching down in Rome, Merrick reiterated his belief that his team were capable of achieving a positive result. "I know we have not done too well in league games this season but a cup-tie is a different proposition which can raise our game. We have a reputation for being good cup fighters and it is a comforting thought in facing such a challenge."

JIMMY LINKED TO ROMA
An interesting sub-plot to the second leg tie was striker Jimmy Bloomfield being linked with a possible transfer to Roma. The rumours had been doing the rounds amongst supporters who were worried that the talented former Arsenal man might be lured away from St. Andrew's by the inflated wages being offered by Italian clubs.
The Birmingham Mail with letters from Blues fan disgusted that the club might allow one of their star men to leave, but that brought an angry response from Blues manager Gil Merrick. He blasted: "Do our supporters really think I want to let him go? Anybody who thinks that we would prefer a big fee from an Italian club to Bloomfield's services in our fight to get more points must be crazy. He is one of my key men."
Bloomfield himself insisted that he was happy at St. Andrew's but also hinted that the big bucks that could be earned abroad would be a temptation. The striker commented: "If all things were equal - that is to say if the Blues could afford to pay me what I might expect in Italy - I would prefer to stay at St. Andrew's."

BRAVE BLUES DEFEATED - October 11, 1961

Johnny Schofield

Gil Merrick's side put up a great battle before finally succumbing to two second half goals at the impressive Olympic Stadium.
The tie was not truly decided until the last minute when Paulo Pestrin notched the second goal to secure a 4-2 aggregate win for the Italians. But Blues more than played their part in the game and with better finishing in front of goal could have been a different outcome as Jimmy Bloomfield, Bryan Orritt and Jimmy Singer all missed good chances.
Blues keeper Johnny Schofield was kept busy also as he saved twice from Francisco Lojacono, one of two changes in the Roma side with the other being Paulo Pestrin. Pedro Manfredini, the scorer of two goals at St. Andrew's, was also a denied by Schofield early on. The main talking point of the first half was a clash for the ball between Bryan Orritt and Roma winger Gianpaolo Menichelli that sparked ugly scenes with officials from both dugouts getting involved. The team captains were summoned to the referee's changing room at half-time with the French official appealing for a calmer approach from both the teams.
The first goal of the game arrived 11 minutes into the second half and there was a slice of luck involved as the Italian side went ahead. Graham Sissons' attempted clearance landed at the feet of Lojacono and the Argentine-Italian midfielder's shot took a heavy deflection off Brian Farmer on its way into the net.
And the cup was clinched by Pestrin's late strike but Blues could walk away with their heads held high.

MANAGER'S REACTION

Players and management square up in the Roma v Blues game

Gil Merrick was proud of his players for both their performance and also the way they conducted themselves when the game threatened to boil over as tempered flared after the first half altercation.
The Blues boss gave his side of the story: "The trouble started when Menichelli clashed with Orritt - it was a 50/50 affair. But a Roma official ran threateningly towards Orritt so I stepped in between them to calm things down and the Roma coach, Luis Carniglia, turned his attentions to me. Someone grabbed Carniglia before he went any further.
"He called the captains to his room at half-time but I stress that the only player he spoke to was Roma's Italian international Lojacono, whose conduct in my opinion, was incredible. My players did extremely well in unpleasant circumstances. As for the game itself, the better footballing side won but we still could have got a draw or even a win, silly as it sounds, because we had two really good chances."
Blues had yet again come so close to European glory but it was Roma that lifted the trophy. Ironically, on the same day as the second leg, the draw was made for the opening round of the 1962/63 Fairs Cup tournament with Merrick's team handed a two-legged tie against Spanish side Espanyol. Blues' fourth and final European adventure ended at the first stage with a 5-3 aggregate defeat to the Barcelona-based club.

THE TEAMS
Blues: Schofield, Farmer, Sissons, Hennessey, Smith, Beard, Hellawell, Orritt, Harris, Bloomfield, Singer.
Roma: Cudicini, Fontana, Corsini, Losi, Carpanesi, Pestrin, Orlando, Lojacono, Manfredini, Angelillo, Menichelli.