Dion Dublin has explained just why the Second City Derby between Birmingham City and Aston Villa is so heated.
Dublin knows all about how tense things can get between the two sides – he experienced it himself 21 years ago. The Homes Under the Hammer presenter left his manager, team-mates and fans shocked when he headbutted then-Birmingham star Robbie Savage.
It was an unusual move from the normally calm striker. Even though he may have been acting on the undisclosed desires of countless Aston Villa fans, it wasn't the smartest decision.
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The match was stalemate at the time but ended with the Blues victorious 2-0, leading Dublin to apologise publicly less than a day later. Now friends, Dublin claims that this incident perfectly encapsulates what can transpire in the heat of the moment during a Second City derby.
He stated: "I've played in a few, the Manchester derby, Celtic versus Rangers and Birmingham City versus Aston Villa is every bit as passionate. Perhaps even more so. "On the day, it comes down to who controls that passion and, obviously, I didn't.", he told The Mirror in 2019.
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Adding: "In general, I loved playing in it. But when people talk to me about that incident and that match, what they don't understand is that Sav spoke to me in the tunnel beforehand and said, 'Dion, can I have your shirt afterwards? '".
"I said, 'Sure, Sav' and that was it. We were at Manchester United together, of course, he can have it. Anyway, it's the second-half and I remember going in for a tackle on him. I was about three seconds late. I wasn't just a bit late. It was a rubbish tackle. I was bang out of order and I deserved a yellow card. It was absolutely my fault."
"But there was no contact at all. Robbie saw me coming and leapt into the air he was almost in orbit he was that high off the ground!". When he eventually came down, I went over and was trying to apologise because I knew it was late."
"Sav, as Sav does, said a few bits and bobs to me. There were a few expletives coming in my direction he pressed the right button at the right time and he got a reaction."
"I suppose I couldn't believe it. First, he wants my shirt. Then, an hour later, he's jumped 10ft in the air and not been caught by my, admittedly bad, tackle. To cap it all, he's giving me dog's abuse. However, I've been asked this many times and I do want to make the point that there was no racism involved. None at all."
"It was just Robbie being Robbie. The red mist came down and I must have thought to myself, 'Why not?". I always loved playing in the derby." As far as passion is concerned, it's there all right."
