Exclusive David Sullivan interview: 'Ungrateful Birmingham fans drove me out of the club'

By James Nursey in Mirror Football Blog

Published 23:00 06/10/09

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Birmingham's controversial outgoing chief David Sullivan reckons he has been driven out of St Andrews by ungrateful fans.

And he has warned incoming owner Carson Yeung that running the club should come with a health warning, writes James Nursey.

Sullivan, 60, is due to collect around £25million next week for selling his shares in Yeung’s £80m takeover.

But it has come at a cost as the tycoon reckons his stressful reign at City has made him ill on occasions.

Sullivan feels taken for granted by Brum fans despite leaving City in the Premier League after inheriting a team doomed to relegation to the third tier.

And he insists he had no option but to eventually sell up to Yeung, who first tried to buy City in 2007.

“I will leave heartbroken,” Sullivan told MirrorFootball.

“I have given 16-and-a-half years of blood, sweat and tears.

“I feel very sad because deep down I feel the supporters decided my time was up and they wanted a change.

“They rioted 18 months ago when we were relegated at home to Blackburn and there is no other word to describe it.

“I knew at that moment I had to go - it was just a matter of time.

“I didn’t want to go in the Championship, I wanted to leave the club in the Premier League.”

Publishing magnate Sullivan, worth around £500m, said his farewells to City staff after attending their game at Burnley last weekend.

It marked the end of an era after Sullivan, the Gold brothers and Karren Brady all rescued Birmingham from oblivion in 1993.

But despite revamping the club on and off the pitch and masterminding promotion last term, Essex-based Sullivan is still unpopular with many fans.

He added: “I don’t think we have got any credit at all from the supporters.

“I think they will look back in ten years and think they got 16-and-a-half years of very good custodianship.

“People say we don’t spend enough money on players but what people don’t see is the money we spend on wages.

“We had the highest wage bill in the Championship last season.

“And when you get beaten by Blackpool home and away and you have three players earning more than their entire squad you do feel a bit ill.

“They wiped the floor with us away and it makes you feel ill and physically sick.

“People think you don’t care but it breaks your heart when you have slopped all the way to Blackpool.

“We lost £12million last year as a club to chase promotion but thankfully we got back up.”

Yeung paid an initial £15m for a 29.9 per cent stake in Birmingham in July 2007 but is now set to control the club.

Sullivan said: “He might do a wonderful job - he has promised us he is going to pump in a lot of money.

“I think the team is two players short of a good team. They need a tall goal-scoring striker and a midfielder.”

Supporters are already looking forward to the new regime with Yeung planning to expand Birmingham into China.

But Brum’s crowds have been poor this season with just 19,922 attending their opening home fixture with Portsmouth following promotion.

Sullivan thinks fans have voted with their feet because they have not like his outspoken opinions.

He said: “I think I am too honest.

“When we got a gate of 19,000 for the first game against Portsmouth I said that is not good enough and that is not what people want to hear.

“I am also not from Birmingham but no-one from Birmingham ever wanted to buy the club so it is no like I outbid local people.

“Throughout our stay we have asked for local people to join us and invest in the club but no-one ever has.

“Yet the expectation level is so high and that whatever you deliver is not enough.”

Sullivan is leaving feeling unloved but West Ham fans would no doubt be delighted if he bought their club.

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