Birmingham City Supporters Club flag ‘stolen’ at England match

A branch of Birmingham City Supporters Club says its usual main England flag was stolen at Wembley during the Iceland game on Friday night.

Worcestershire’s Redditch Blues have had the flag for nine years and were due to be flown to Germany for Euro 2024 next Friday.

Lynda Courts, who runs the branch, said if it was handed in anonymously, “no action would be taken”.

She said a smaller flag the group takes draws former Blues player Jude Bellingham’s attention to games, but “it won’t be the same” without the bigger one.

The one taken, which measures 2.5m (8.2ft) by 1.5m (4.9ft), was bought after the family and members of the Redditch Blues started watching England home and away.

Birmingham City have played in Europe since their Carling Cup final triumph in 2011 and this experience abroad inspired the group to travel to watch England.

Ms Courts said she raised the flag before the 1-0 defeat but was unable to see it later watching from behind the lower level of the stadium.

The fan found out he was missing after walking down the steps at the end of the match and was later told by a friend who raised his flag next to him on 88 minutes that the Redditch great was not there.

She added: “We are devastated because he goes to every game with us. It’s part of the tradition to put the flag up and for people to see it on TV.

“People are looking for it. I post it on Facebook and people will then like the post.”

She said she posted on social media asking for it to be returned, saying that if someone “had the sense to anonymously hand it in, then it would be pointless to replace it”.

A company offered a replacement at one point, but Ms. Courts has no time before Friday to move forward on that path.

Asked about England’s chances at Euro 2024, she said “after the performance last night (Friday), I don’t know”.

But the supporter pointed out that Bellingham had not played in the last two friendlies.

“Jude Bellingham recognizes that smaller (flag) … and waves when he sees me holding it.

“It became a thing between me and Jude. (In 2021) he gave me San Marino’s shirt when I was in San Marino and he won 10-nil.”