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CLARIDGE RELISHING CUP CLASH

Posted on: Sat 14 Jun 2008

By Matt Cecil

Former Wycombe and Birmingham striker Steve Claridge believes the Carling Cup clash between the two sides could be "a night to remember" when they meet in August, and says he holds "fantastic memories" of his times with both clubs.

The 42-year-old spent six months with the Wanderers in 2005, scoring four times for John Gorman's side towards the end of a career which began back in 1983, and the current television pundit thinks the first round tie could prove to be an exciting one.

"It should be a good game," he said in an exclusive interview with wwfc.com. "It'll certainly be interesting and it won't be a case of Birmingham just turning up and getting the win.

"I remember watching a game between Wycombe and Aston Villa a few years ago and if it's anything like that game then it could be a night to remember!"

That evening at Adams Park saw Birmingham's bitter rivals clinch an 8-3 win in the same competition after being 3-1 down at half-time, and was one of many games that Claridge has been in attendance to watch his former employers:

"I've got fantastic memories of my time with Wycombe and Birmingham," he said. "At Birmingham I was the only player apart from Trevor Francis to score more than twenty goals in a season since the war and I really enjoyed my time at Adams Park."

Now he'll be hoping that both clubs can bounce back from their respective disappointments of last season and achieve promotion in the 2008/09 campaign:

"Wycombe have been knocking at the door for a long time now and they're no 'flash in the pan' team so I'd certainly like them to be promoted. Birmingham have moved back into a difficult division after being relegated on the last day of the season but maybe with the parachute payments they'll have an advantage."

Wanderers will be without Russell Martin for their promotion charge after the right-back's transfer to Peterborough United in the summer, and Claridge believes his former team-mate has what it takes to succeed in League One:

"I like Russell as a player and as a person and he can definitely play a bit," he said. "At that level with his distribution he'll do a good job and I wish him well."

Click here for the news of the draw which broke on Friday morning.