Birmingham City: Craig Gardner would swap his Carling Cup medal for Premier League safety

May 22 2011 by Gregg Evans, Sunday Mercury

ON a purely personal level it has been a season to remember for Birmingham City midfielder Craig Gardner.

In his first full campaign with his boyhood idols the battling Brummie has won a Carling Cup winners’ medal, will finish as the club’s top goalscorer and has won their goal of the season award.

But if Alex McLeish’s men are relegated this afternoon Gardner admits that all of that will be forgotten.

Blues go to White Hart Lane to take on Tottenham with their top-flight status hanging by a thread. Survival will depend not only on their own result, but those of the other strugglers.

“I’d give every single goal back now just to stay in the league,” said Gardner.

“I’d give my (Carling Cup) medal back to stay in the league.

“It’s a massive game. Everyone wants to play in the Premier League and I’m sure every single player would do the same.

“It’s great to get the rewards but if I get nine goals and win a medal and we end up in the championship next season, it’s a failed season for me.

“This game is our career, it’s bigger than the cup final and we need to go out there and give it every single ounce for this club.”

Gardner has been one of the stand-out performers in a team that has struggled since the epic Wembley win over Arsenal.

Seven Premier League goals have also helped Blues massively but the former Villa ace is refusing to take credit for his efforts unless they achieve their aim of staying up.

Having sat out of the last two games through suspension, Gardner is desperate to come back in and fire his side to safety.

“We’re good enough to get a result and we are not going to roll over, that’s for sure,” he added. “Hopefully the fans will be there for us and the lads will put everything in.