By the order of the Peaky Blinders, Birmingham City FC returns to its roots

Birmingham City Football Club has responded to an order of the Peaky Blinders by reverting to the club’s original name of Small Heath Alliance.

The club has returned to its historic roots to celebrate its unique connection to the hit crime drama, which is set in Small Heath in Birmingham.

The BBC show, which follows the lives of the notorious Shelby family, a gang rising to prominence in post-war Birmingham, is returning for its sixth and final series on Sunday.

The football club’s social media re-brand comes after an order was issued by Peaky Blinders on their Instagram account.

It read: “Birmingham City FC, You’re proud of where you come from, proud to have grown from the cobbled streets of Small Heath, just like the Peaky Blinders.

“So, it’s time to wear that pride like a badge of honour. This Saturday you must return to your roots and become Small Heath Alliance once again. By order of the Peaky Blinders.”

The club replied to the post by simply writing: “Order accepted”.

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

This Saturday, the club’s home ground of St Andrews will once again be home to Small Heath Alliance as they play against Huddersfield Town.

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

Ticket office staff and the reception team will also be adorned in flat caps and fans attending the match will be able to get their hands on Small Heath Alliance merchandise including a special matchday programme and Peaky Blinders collaboration scarves.

The club’s social media will also have a retro theme in the run-up to the match and the series launch over the weekend.

Last week, the long-awaited return date for Peaky Blinders was revealed on a striking, more than 12-metres-high mural in Birmingham depicting the series’ gang leader Tommy Shelby.

The series will see the return of actor Cillian Murphy as the infamous Tommy Shelby.

Murphy has previously said this upcoming last series will be a tribute to the late Helen McCrory after the actress, who starred as the family matriarch Polly Gray for the previous five seasons, died of cancer in April 2021.

Peaky Blinders returns to BBC One and iPlayer for series six on February 27 at 9pm.