Peaky Blinders: Birmingham City revert to Small Heath Alliance

25 February 2022

Small Heath Alliance will play against Huddersfield Town on Saturday

Getty Images St Andrews Stadium — Small Heath Alliance will play against Huddersfield Town on Saturday

Birmingham City Football Club will revert to its original name of the Small Heath Alliance for one match by order of the Peaky Blinders.

The club is using its historic moniker in celebration of its connection to the BBC drama, which is set in Small Heath, Birmingham, in the 1920s.

The social media rebrand comes after an order was issued by Peaky Blinders on their Instagram account.

The football club replied with: "Order accepted".

The drama series follows Tommy Shelby, played by Cillian Murphy, and his family

BBC/Caryn Mandabach Productions Ltd./Robert Viglas Cillian Murphy as Tommy Shelby — The drama series follows Tommy Shelby, played by Cillian Murphy, and his family

Birmingham City FC was originally founded in 1875 as Small Health Alliance before the club name was later changed to its current moniker.

In its post, the Peaky Blinders page said the club must demonstrate its pride of being from the "cobbled streets of Small Heath" by returning to its roots and use the name once again.

The club said its home ground of St Andrews would become home once more to the Small Heath Alliance when they play Huddersfield Town on Saturday.

For the game, the Birmingham City players will leave the tunnel to the sound of the series' theme song, Red Right Hand, and Peaky Blinders-themed hoardings will surround the pitch.

Fans will be able to get a Small Heath Alliance matchday programme, ticket office staff will wear flat caps, and the BBC has produced a number of Small Heath Alliance scarves that will be laid out on seats around the ground.

Peaky Blinders returns to BBC One and iPlayer for its sixth and final series on Sunday.

Earlier this month, the long-awaited return date was revealed on a mural in Birmingham depicting the series' gang leader Tommy Shelby.

Some of the drama's stars gathered for a red carpet preview screening in the city on Thursday, where hundreds of fans were able to watch the first episode of the final series.