Stuart Parnaby Speaks to Blues News

Once again we have been given permission to re-produce an article out of Blues News. We’d like to thank Alexa, Peter and Chris at the Blues for this. 🙂

We start with the article from the Brentford programme on Stuart Parnaby, (the article and images are copyrighted to Birmingham City FC.)

THE CARLING CUP HAS PROVIDED PLENTY OF FIZZ FOR STUART PARNABY DURING HIS CAREER.

It was a decade ago that the defender made his senior debut for Middlesbrough in this competition, in those days sponsored by the less bubbly Worthington. Just two months after celebrating his 18th birthday the Durham lad was given his first chance to shine by then-Riverside boss Bryan Robson in September 2000. He played the entire second round clash at home to Macclesfield, which ended in a 2-1 home victory. Boro left it late to kill off their basement division visitors though as two goals in the final three minutes turned the tie on its head as Robson’s charges narrowly avoided a cup humiliation.

Parnaby had to wait another two years for his next opportunity to don a Boro first team jersey and again it came in the country’s second biggest knockout tournament, ironically against tonight’s visitors Brentford at Griffin Park in a third round meeting, which his side won comfortably 4-1. The former England youth international went onto become a regular in the side that season under Steve McClaren. And in the following campaign – the first season of Carling’s sponsorship – the then-21-year-old helped Boro get the key to the Millennium Stadium door after coming on as a sub in both legs of a semi-final win over an Arsenal side that went onto clinch the Premiership crown.

“The Carling Cup has played a massive part in my career,” admits Parnaby. “I’ll always remember my debut for Middlesbrough against Macclesfield when I was playing alongside the likes of Alen Boksic – although that game feels like a long time ago now! And it was great to play a part against Arsenal in both semi-final games. Arsenal were a special team at that time so to beat them was massive for the club. I wasn’t involved in the final but obviously it was a big thing for them to win their first major trophy.

“Hopefully I can help Birmingham to a similar success this season. The Carling Cup is not as big as the FA Cup but it means a lot to teams like us to try and win something. There is no reason why we can’t aim to go all the way.”

Alex McLeish has used this cup as an occasion to rotate his squad and give run-outs to some of the players that haven’t featured regularly during the league campaign. Parnaby is hoping the same applies this evening and he can add to his solitary appearance to-date, which came in the last round win over MK Dons.

“It would be nice to get a game – I’ll just have to wait and see what the gaffer wants to do with the team,” he continues. “Hopefully if I’m playing, I’ll do my best to try and help us get as far as I did with Boro all those years ago.”

But it will be far from a formality this evening against a Brentford side that have saved their best performances for this competition. Andy Scott’s men knocked out Cheltenham Town in the first round and then Hull City and Everton – both top-flight clubs last season – to qualify for the last 16. In the league it’s been a different story and the Middlesex club were propping up the third tier just two short weeks ago. The pressure will be off them tonight though and with a platoon of 2,500 fans roaring them on from the Gil Merrick Stand, Blues will be aiming to avoid a Bees-sting. 

“This is a massive opportunity for us but you can’t just expect to go through because we have been drawn at home to a lower division club,” warns Parnaby. “We have to be ready for a tough game because Brentford are in this round for a reason and they’ve beaten the likes of Hull City and Everton to get this far. Everton have been one of the best sides to play at our place so to take them to extra time shows they must have something in their team. And to beat a Premier League team on penalties is no mean feat.

“It will be a tough test but it’s a big game for us with the chance to reach the last eight of a major cup competition. It’s only two more rounds after this to reach Wembley and the possibility of winning some silverware. Hopefully we’ll get a decent turn-out from our fans and with their support we can progress.”
 
McLeish blooded 16-year-old Academy starlet Nathan Redmond in the first round victory over Rochdale. And like everybody that watched the teenager’s cameo display that night, Parnaby has been mightily impressed with the exciting young prospect.

He says: “This is a great competition for lads like Nathan to get a taste of it. He has impressed everyone every time he has come across to train with the first team. He is as quick as they come, great on the ball and good skills.

“That’s how I started and sometimes it’s the best way for the manager to get the lads in because it’s hard in the Premier League. Even if he’s coming off the bench for the last 15 minutes, it’s a good learning experience and a chance for him to be involved with lads that have been around the Premier League for years and it will help him to develop.”

Parnaby is now in fourth season at St. Andrew’s after penning a new 12-month deal in the summer. The 28-year-old admits that he didn’t have to think for long before agreeing to prolong his stay in the Second City.

“It was an easy decision to make and I was just happy that the manager thought that he wanted me for another year really,” he admits. “It was big for me because obviously I haven’t played as much as I’d want but I have enjoyed every minute here being part of the squad. It was good to get that extra year and hopefully I can help the team in all competitions and be ready if I’m needed.

“Football is a squad game and there are 20-odd lads so there are always going to be people left out on a matchday. You learn to live with it. There is no point in me getting down about it and moaning at the manager. He has to make the decision and it’s hard for him – he has to do it to someone. I’ve just got to take it on the chin and make sure that I train hard, which I have done. I feel like I have trained as well as I ever have.”

And watching on from the sidelines, Parnaby has seen nothing to be overly concerned about in terms of Blues’ performances in the league, even though the team were lying just one place above the bottom three ahead of last weekend’s showdown with Blackpool.

“You look at the league and teams like West Brom and Blackpool are flying. When you come up against sides that are on a high they are all tough games so it doesn’t matter who you play now. Every game can go either way. We’ve been unlucky and sometimes decisions haven’t gone with us,” he concludes.

“Arsenal away we were fantastic in the first half and it looked like they were running out of ideas. The game changed on the penalty decision. It’s a long season and there are plenty of games to go and points to win. We hadn’t lost at home for a year until Everton so we’ve got to look to start off on another run like that and get back to what we were doing.”