£4m and worth every penny: How Birmingham City struck transfer gold | OneFootball

Birmingham spent big on Scott Dann in 2009 but he proved his worth in only two years at the club

Scott Dann’s arrival at Birmingham City from Coventry City in 2009 cost £4 million but was worth every penny.

It was reported that the deal cost £4 million, with Blues winning the race to his signature ahead of rivals Wolves.

Both clubs were preparing for life in the Premier League after winning automatic promotion from the Championship, with Wolves clinching the title by seven points.

But it was Alex McLeish’s side that added Dann ahead of their top flight return after he impressed for the Sky Blues that season.

The defender spent just two years at St. Andrew’s but his impact won’t be forgotten any time soon by supporters, even with Birmingham ultimately suffering relegation back to the second tier in 2011.

Scott Dann’s impact at Birmingham

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Dann made his Birmingham debut on 19 September after he missed pre-season due to recovering from surgery, as well as a separate thigh injury.

While fans were made to wait, his debut left a strong impression as he helped the team to a 1-0 win over Hull City, with the player taking a significant step forward in proving his worth as a £4 million addition.

The standout performance of Dann’s first season with the Midlands outfit came at Anfield, with Birmingham securing a 2-2 draw against the previous season’s Premier League runners-up.

The centre-back contributed the assists for both goals as McLeish’s side earned a strong result away to Rafa Benitez’s side.

Dann was a key figure throughout the season, with the Blues earning an impressive ninth-place finish after earning other big results like 1-1 draws against both Manchester United and Arsenal, as well as a 0-0 draw with eventual champions Chelsea.

Birmingham also enjoyed a 12-game unbeaten run that also included a five-game winning stretch, with the club earning a top-half table finish in the top flight for the first time since 2004.

Birmingham’s EFL Cup success

Yet it was in Dann’s second season where he joined the club’s history by helping them secure the EFL Cup with a triumphant win over Arsenal at Wembley Stadium.

It was the Midlands outfit’s first domestic cup success since their EFL Cup victory in 1963, and only the second time they won either of England’s two major knockout tournaments.

Dann wasn’t able to help Birmingham stay in the Premier League beyond a second season, with the defender only making 20 appearances in the competition as the team finished 18th.

However, he played a key part in their run to the final, even if he missed the victory over Arsenal through injury.

It was in the semi-final clash against West Ham that led to Dann requiring surgery on his hamstring, which kept him out of the remainder of the campaign.

If he had been able to stay fit, then perhaps the Blues might have remained in the Premier League, with only one point separating them from Wolves in 17th.

But even with the disappointment of relegation, nothing can take away that remarkable EFL Cup triumph, proving Dann was worth every penny of the £4 million paid to sign him in 2009.

He had an outstanding impact in that short period, whilst also netting a profit in the transfer window when he departed for Blackburn Rovers in a £6 million deal. For Birmingham, it was a short-term deal that hit just about all the right notes.