Former West Brom caretakers roll back the years in Birmingham City victory
James Morrison and Chris Brunt rolled back the years as they helped an Albion Legends team down Blues at St Andrew's.
It was Morrison, who finished the 2024/25 campaign in the home dugout as interim boss at The Hawthorns, who struck a second-half winner for the visitors as the two club's Foundation departments took centre stage now Football League action has been parked.
The charity clash raised funds for The Albion Foundation, as well as their Blues counterpart, Birmingham City Foundation. Popular former players returned to dust off the boots and put on a show for thousands of supporters at the home of newly-promoted Championship side Blues. The sides will lock horns again in the second tier next season.
The encounter finished 2-1 in the Baggies' favour thanks to Morrison's crisp low strike into the bottom left corner after 55 minutes.
Both Morrison and Brunt may now hold coaching and other roles behind the scenes at The Hawthorns, but it was back to the more familiar positions out on the pitch at St Andrew's.
Former Scotland international 'Mozza' became a familiar presence in the dugout this season, as first-team coach under Tony Mowbray and then as caretaker boss once Mowbray was sacked as head coach. Morrison oversaw a draw and victory to see out the Championship campaign.
Brunt also held the caretaker title this term, in between Carlos Corberan's Christmas Eve exit and the mid-January appointment of Mowbray.
Albion and Blues were level at the interval as an early fourth-minute opener by Baggies striker Simon Cox put the visitors ahead.
Cox was played in on goal by his fellow striker Peter Odemwingie and he kept his composure to beat home goalkeeper Lee Camp.
The hosts equalised midway through the first period when a familiar face on both sides of the Birmingham-Black Country rivalry struck.
Midfielder Craig Gardner, who started as a Villa youngster and turned out for Blues either side of a spell at The Hawthorns, converted a low strike to level.
But a half-time team talk from Albion bosses Bob Taylor and Andy Johnson did the job, as their side snatched the victory through Morrison in the second period.
It evoked memories of Morrison's iconic left-footed rocket to see off the Blues at St Andrew's in a 3-1 Premier League victory back in 2011.
Albion's side also featured record Premier League appearance maker Gareth Barry, Great Escape hero Rob Earnshaw and left-back Paul Robinson, a stalwart of both clubs.
As well as Gardner, Blues' side included former Baggies defender Curtis Davies, midfielder Darren Carter and striker Kevin Phillips. England under-21s boss Lee Carsley also donned the boots at St Andrew's.
Meanwhile, Albion's thriving Foundation also secured success over the weekend as WBA Powerchair booked their place at a St George's Park showpiece to defend their FA Disability Cup crown.
It was a double success for player-coach Chris Gordon's side, who saw off Newcastle United on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the quarter-final.
It set up a semi-final derby contest against Villa Rockets and the Baggies prevailed 2-0 winners.
It means the defending champions are on track to retain their crown at England's HQ in Burton in July.
The unbeaten Baggies are also top of the Premiership - the top tier of powerchair football in the United Kingdom, and can wrap up a sixth league title with clashes on May 31 against Nottinghamshire, Newcastle, rivals Leeds and Aspire in Nottingham. It would be a sixth top flight title success in seven seasons since 2017/18.
