Birmingham City have not lost a Premier League match against Midlands rivals Aston Villa since they gained promotion at the end of season 2001-02.
This year, they seek to finish in a position above the Clarets after they failed to achieve that objective last season. Birmingham have a hard task in front of them as Villa are five points clear at the moment with only six matches to go.
Steve Bruce's side have failed to continue on last season's good work in their third successive campaign in the Premier League.
In 2002-03, they silenced their critics after being bracketed among the clubs likely to go down at their first attempt.
The capture of Robbie Savage was a masterstroke by Bruce as he rallied all those around him in midfield. But, in January, Savage chose to join his ex-Wales coach Mark Hughes at Blackburn and that was indeed a huge setback for the Brummies.
In their first year among the big boys, a long list of injuries, especially in defence, left the side reeling. But chairman David Sullivan provided Bruce with the cash he needed to bolster his ailing side.
Frenchman Christof Dugarry, having joined on loan from Bordeaux, was quality among the City lads. The team finished 13th in 2002-03 and for the first time in 28 years, they managed a better position than rivals Villa.
The second season saw the Blues becoming an established club in the top echelon and never struggled with relegation candidates.
A poor run at the end of the season - one win in 11 league games - saw them slipping to 10th position, six points away from a UEFA Cup berth.
This season Bruce had the chance to manage a bigger club, Newcastle, but declined the offer to stay at Birmingham.
Birmingham invested heavily in new players and were widely tipped to improve on last season's performance but this has not materialised.
One of their biggest upsets was the injury to Mikael Forssell, who joined the club on loan for another season after he finished Birmingham's top scorer with 17 league goals in the past campaign. He is now back at Chelsea.
Seasoned players like Jesper Gronkjaer and Dwight Yorke failed to hit the form expected from them.
Another loan signing by Bruce who left the desired impact is Walter Pandiani, acquired from Deportivo.
While Bruce is keen to sign the Uruguay forward on a permanent move, the boss was always confident that Emile Heskey would gain a recall to the England squad.
The manager
Bruce was born in Corbridge on December 31, 1960.
As a player he signed apprentice forms with Gillingham in 1978. At the Priestfield, he grew in stature and starred in 250 matches for the Kent club before he signed for Norwich in a deal worth £125,000.
At Carrow Road, Bruce became a rock in defence and during his spell there in the 1980s, Norwich enjoyed a successful period, winning the League Cup and promotion to the top flight, the 'old' Division One.
After three years with the Canaries, Alex Ferguson made one of his best swoops in his managerial career when he signed Bruce for £800,000. That was December 1987.
In the first season of the Premiership, 1992-93, Bruce, as team skipper, led United to their first championship in 25 years.
He enjoyed nine successful years at Old Trafford, forming a formidable partnership with Gary Pallister.
Bruce went on to help the Red Devils to three more championship crowns and earned winners' medals in the FA Cup twice, the League Cup and the Cup Winners' Cup.
Bruce had a knack of scoring vital goals, mainly through headers or from the penalty spot.
In June 1996, Bruce left Old Trafford, aged 35, after he figured in 410 matches and scored 51 goals, to join Birmingham on a free transfer.
In 1998 he made his last stop at Sheffield United, becoming player-manager for the Blades in a stint that lasted only 10 months.
He was then appointed boss of Huddersfield with the aim of leading the club to the heights they once enjoyed.
In his first campaign, the Town finished eighth - a negative run at the end thwarted them from reaching the play-offs.
This dismal sequence persisted in the early months of season 2000-01 and after 13 games Bruce was sacked. That came in October 2000.
Following a six-month lay-off he coached Wigan from April till the end of season.
When the media announced that he was to sign a longer deal with the Latics, Simon Jordan, the new chairman of Crystal Palace, sacked Alan Smith and engaged Bruce in his managerial role on May 31, 2001.
Bruce's career was really nomadic and this reflected in his short stay at Selhurst Park, leaving on December 12, 2001 to take over at Birmingham.
Bruce steered the Blues to the Premier league via the play-offs after ousting one of his former clubs, Norwich, in the final.
The Squad
Birmingham's numbered squad:
Goalkeepers: 1. Maik Taylor, 18. Nico Vaesen.
Defenders: 2. Olivier Tebily, 3. Jamie Clapham, 4. Kenny Cunningham, 5. Matthew Upson, 15. Martin Taylor, 23. Matthew Sadler, 29. Mario Melchiot.
Midfielders: 6. Muzzy Izzet, 8. Jermaine Pennant, 10. David Dunn, 11. Stan Lazaridis, 20. Salif Alassane Diao, 21. Julian Gray, 22. Damien Johnson, 24. Darren Carter, 25. Stephen Clem-ence, 28. Carl Motteram, 32. Darren Anderton, 36. Mehdi Nafti.
Forwards: 7. Robert Blake, 9. Walter Pandiani, 14. Njazi Kuqi, 16. Emile Heskey, 19. Clinton Morrison, 33. Dwight Yorke.
Premier League scorers
7 - Heskey.
4 - Savage (now Blackburn), Morrison.
3 - Anderton, Pandiani.
2 - Yorke, Upson, Dunn, Gray.
1 - Izzet, Carter, Melchiot, Blake (own goal).