Former England striker Kevin Phillips has revealed the unique reason why he can walk around Birmingham without fear of confrontation from Aston Villa supporters, despite his controversial move to arch-rivals Birmingham City later in his career.
The Derby Hero That Protected His Legacy
Phillips, who holds the remarkable distinction of being the first Englishman to win the European Golden Shoe and the only player to achieve this honour while competing in the Premier League, enjoyed spells with both West Midlands clubs during his illustrious 23-year playing career.
The striker joined Aston Villa in August 2005 in a £1 million transfer from Southampton, having previously experienced relegation with the Saints. Despite this setback, Phillips maintained an impressive reputation as a proven goalscorer, built largely during six spectacular seasons at Sunderland where he netted 118 times in 223 appearances across all competitions.
From Near-Arsenal Move to Villa Park
Speaking on the Seaman Says podcast, Phillips disclosed how close he came to joining Arsenal before his Villa transfer. "I did come quite close to signing for Arsenal under Arsene," he revealed, "but he went for Francis Jeffers. The chance to play with Thierry Henry would have been a dream come true."
During his single season at Villa Park, Phillips managed four goals in 27 matches, which at the time represented his lowest top-flight return. However, one of those strikes proved particularly significant - a winner against Birmingham City at St Andrew's in October 2005 that secured a precious 1-0 victory for Villa.
Recalling the momentous derby goal during an interview with BBC Radio WM, Phillips said: "I was excited, I hadn't played in a derby as big. I managed to score, and came off with about 15 minutes left and I was just praying, please let my goal be the winner."
Controversial Switch That Paid Dividends
Despite his Villa connections, Phillips made the surprising move to Birmingham City in 2008 after a prolific two-year stint with West Bromwich Albion. The transfer attracted controversy but proved inspired as he scored 14 crucial goals, including a dramatic winner against Reading on the final day of the season that secured automatic promotion back to the Premier League.
Reflecting on his unique position in Birmingham football folklore, Phillips explained: "When the final whistle went, I couldn't believe I'd scored a winner for such a huge club, away at their local rivals. I've scored in lots of derbies for lots of clubs, but you never really become a hero until you score one of those winners."
He added with a smile: "I can probably walk around Birmingham without a slap from a Villa fan because obviously I played for three years at the Blues."
Phillips retired from playing in 2013 after helping Crystal Palace achieve Premier League promotion via the play-offs, famously scoring the winning penalty in the final. He has since managed several clubs including South Shields, Hartlepool United, and most recently AFC Fylde, though he has been out of management since February.
