Grant Hall returns to the scene of his worst nightmare tomorrow.
Almost a year after the QPR player was on the end of an 8-0 hiding when at Birmingham, the former Spurs centre back wants another City defeat - this time wearing hoops.
Hall was on loan at St Andrews when Bournemouth blitzed Brum with Hall at centre back four days short of his 23rd birthday.
GetWestLondon got Hall to revisit the horror show. You can too courtesy of the video below.
“It was the lowest point in my career,” he said. “A massive learning curve; because it was so horrendous. We just seemed to capsize. Every time they went forward after about 35 minutes they seemed to score.
“I learned I didn’t want to feel like that again. I didn’t want to talk to anyone. I didn’t want to be seen out.
“Birthday? I didn’t really celebrate it to be honest.”
The man signed by Rs after a successful trial in the summer is hoping for a run of games following a 4-3 win last time against Bolton.
Hall is thankful coach Chris Ramsey came in for him. But the player admitted a head start over other hopefuls after their time together at Tottenham did him a favour.
“I knew what Chris expected,” he explained. “The sessions he put on - he had done those at Spurs. It made it a bit easier for me to settle in. I’d like to get a run, and with games I’m only going to get better.”
A shocking GWL impersonation of Italian Gabriele Angella had Hall laughing. But the defender insists it’s no laughing matter to get a partnership going as soon as possible with the man alongside him.
“It takes time to forge a partnership, and that Bolton games was the first me and Gaby were together.
“I think I’ve done well so far, but I hadn’t played with Gaby until last time.”
Hall supposed one part of his game that needed to improve more than most taking a tougher stance on the pitch.
He joked about coming from polite and proper Brighton, but reckons he will make his dad happier with a determined grimace on his face.
“You’ve got to have a nasty side, and I’ve tried to develop that,” Hall said. “I brought up to be respectable in Brighton. But my dad says once you cross that white line there’s no friends in football.”
