Birmingham City must always wonder 'what if? with £3m Gareth Bale saga - Spurs dodged £85m bullet | OneFootball

Birmingham City’s sliding doors moment: how a failed Bale bid shaped their footballing fate

The trajectory of football clubs can often hinge on singular transfer decisions that, in retrospect, reveal themselves as pivotal historical crossroads.

Such is the case with Birmingham City's near-acquisition of Gareth Bale in 2009 - a transfer prospect valued at just £3 million that, had it materialised, might have fundamentally altered the landscape of both European and domestic English football.

While Bale has since called time on his illustrious career, his story exemplifies talent that nearly eluded recognition.

For the Blues, this unrealised transfer represents perhaps the most significant hypothetical in the club's history, a moment that could have redirected their trajectory away from subsequent years of Championship football and financial instability.

Failed £3 million Gareth Bale transfer: How Birmingham City almost signed future Real Madrid star

Bale arrived at Tottenham from Southampton in 2007 for an initial £5m fee but his early tenure was characterised by adversity.

The Welsh winger endured 24 Premier League games without a win, earning an unfortunate reputation as a jinx.

Persistent injuries - initially to his ankle, subsequently to his knee ligaments - further impeded his development.

By the 2009/10 campaign, Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp was reportedly contemplating Bale's departure, creating the circumstances for Birmingham's intervention.

This opportunity coincided with Carson Yeung's acquisition of Birmingham City, a period marked by ambitious promises regarding transfer expenditure.

Manager Alex McLeish, tasked with elevating the club from its precarious 17th position, identified Bale as a transformative acquisition.

McLeish's strategy was methodical: "I chanced my arm early on in the week, giving Harry a ring and asking whether we could take Gareth on loan," he later recounted.

"We thought, maybe we could take the pressure off, with him coming to a smaller club, help him find his feet. If he did really well, Harry could take him back or we could put in a cheeky bid."

Redknapp, however, remained steadfast in his belief regarding Bale's potential, offering a definitive rejection: "Not a chance that I would sell him. He is a kid with a big future and is learning the game. He should be a fantastic player and I've told him if he stops messing about with his barnet, he has a chance."

Speaking years later - after the Welshman’s final Spurs appearance before departing for Real Madrid - former coach Clive Allen offered clarity on the situation between the two clubs: “It did go pretty close, I know there were discussions between the clubs, the clubs had agreed the potential of the move, and it was something he had to think about.”

“To his credit, he wanted to stay at Spurs, he wanted to establish himself there and it probably got the stage where it was Gareth’s decision, and he made the decision to stay and fight his way into the team - which he did.”

Championship struggles vs. Champions League glory: the paths of Birmingham City and Gareth Bale after 2009

Bale remained at Tottenham, where his fortunes dramatically reversed, finally breaking his winless curse in a 5-0 victory over Burnley.

The following season, he emerged onto the scene as a formidable talent on the continental stage, most notably with a famous hat-trick against Inter Milan at the San Siro.

By 2013, Bale had won two PFA Players’ Player of the Year awards, and commanded a then-world record transfer fee of €100.8 million (£85.1 million) from Real Madrid.

Birmingham City's recruitment strategy deviated toward alternatives. The club allocated the earmarked £3 million on midfielder Craig Gardner, who, despite contributing significantly to their 2011 Carling Cup triumph, could not prevent their subsequent Premier League relegation the same season.

Another acquisition, Sporting Gijón's Michel, failed to acclimatise and was dispatched on loan within two years.

Concurrent pursuits of forwards Kevin Kurányi and Kenwyne Jones were abandoned due to prohibitive wage demands.

Yeung's grandiose promises disintegrated, beginning a decade characterised by financial precariousness and ownership instability.

Bale's potential transfer to the midlands presents intriguing possibilities. Would consistent playing time at St Andrew's have accelerated his development, transforming him into the catalytic figure that might have elevated the club's standing? Or would he have remained the injury-susceptible Tottenham talent that the North London giants had contemplated releasing?