The Albion Centenary Dinner was one of the great non-playing events in the club's history.

The whole night was superb from start to finish, the food was excellent and the Albion part of the show unforgettable.

Top marks to Dick Knight, Kevin Keehan and everyone else who helped organise this special evening.

Robbie Reinelt received a great reception when introduced to the audience. It is true his goal at Edgar Street forms a big part of the club's history.

But where was Mark Ormerod? His save in the dying minutes of the same game was just as important as Robbie's goal. Had we gone down 2-1 that afternoon, relegation would have followed and I doubt that the club would have survived.

How sad, though, that for all the great Albion characters who did show, the absentee list was like a Goldstone who's who. No Alan Mullery, Steve Foster, Brian Horton, Jimmy Case or Mike Bailey.

Even the celebration of 100 years couldn't produce a one night truce on the petty internal politics that have blighted the Albion for many years.

If Steve Gritt, ruthlessly sacked by Knight months after saving the club, can turn up with his head held high, why not the rest of them?

If my Gulls Eye colleague Peter Kennard and I can sit down and crack open a bottle of Blue Nun with Dudley Sizen and Ray Bloom, the men who rightly or wrongly sued our fanzine in 1990, why do some of the biggest names in the club's history feel it necessary to snub such a big night?

As we were driving home, former Albion striker John Byrne summed it up. He said that there couldn't be many clubs outside the Premiership that could put on a night like that. One of Albion's overriding qualities is attracting people of ability and character to its staff.

What a shame some of our supposed legends don't, on the face of it, possess the character we gave them credit for? A petty squabble over a 100 years of the Albion? Some priority!

So Birmingham City's dreams of Premiership football will be just that for at least another season as they failed in the play-offs last week for the third season running. Messing up again must be a bitter pill to swallow for the St Andrew's faithful but how many of them, in the cold light of day, questioned the behaviour of their manager Trevor Francis?

Francis is a seasoned campaigner, he has been in football over 30 years and been there, seen it and done it. He has won the European Cup, graced Wembley finals and played on the international stage. So why before the penalty shoot-out at Preston last week did he behave like someone on day release from the Care in the Community scheme?

Whether or not the referee had gone back on what he said earlier was not really an issue. What signals did Francis' behaviour send out to his young team, who had already lost one crucial game this season on penalties?

If the City penalty-takers felt nervous at the final whistle, how must they have felt after being pulled off the pitch twice by their boss before the shoot-out even started?

I appreciate there was a lot at stake but frankly I expected more from an old head like Francis.

His hysterics possibly cost his team a place in the top flight. If he loses his job, how many other chairmen will be prepared to give him a position after seeing that saga unfolding on the TV?

On the subject of the play-offs, good luck to Leyton Orient against Blackpool this Saturday.

A number of local footballing pessimists are predicting that the Albion could struggle next season.

Well if that is the case, and I don't believe it will be, the O's will be nailed on six points leaving the Albion only needing a further 44 for safety!