Made in Brum Podcast

From competing on the Arnold Classic stage to finding himself in a wheelchair and having to learn to walk again, Brett Smith's story is one of determination, sacrifice and survival. 💪

This week on Made in Brum, we're joined by bodybuilder and coach Brett Smith, a man who has dedicated more than 35 years of his life to bodybuilding, competing in an incredible 87 shows along the way.

But behind the muscles, trophies and achievements lies a much bigger story.

Brett opens up about the highs and lows of his bodybuilding career, competing on some of the sport's biggest stages, the physical punishment his body has endured and the devastating period when serious health problems left him in a wheelchair.

He speaks candidly about undergoing multiple operations, battling depression, experiencing suicidal thoughts and the long road to recovery that saw him having to learn to walk again.

We also discuss:

💪 35 years in bodybuilding and 87 competitions

🏆 Competing at the Arnold Classic

🏋️ Old-school bodybuilding and Birmingham gym culture

💉 Performance-enhancing drugs and the realities of the sport

🩺 12 operations and the physical toll of bodybuilding

🦽 Going from training seven days a week to being in a wheelchair

❤️ Mental health, relationships and the people who supported him

🔥 Finding the determination to recover and keep moving forward

🎙️ How bodybuilding has changed and what Brett has learned along the way

It's an honest, emotional and at times funny conversation about a life dedicated to bodybuilding, the challenges Brett has faced and the strength it takes to keep going.

This is much more than a bodybuilding story.

⚠️ This episode includes discussions of depression and suicidal thoughts.

🎙️ MADE IN BRUM PODCAST

Real people. Real stories. Made in Brum.

🔗 Listen and follow us on all platforms:
https://linktr.ee/madeinbrum

👍 If you enjoyed the conversation, please LIKE, COMMENT and SUBSCRIBE for more stories from Birmingham and the Midlands.

PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY OUR SPONSORS

⚡ HELL ENERGY DRINKS
https://hellukonline.co.uk/
Use code MIB15 for 15% off.

🎬 B9 Film & Media

#MadeInBrum #BrettSmith #Bodybuilding #Bodybuilder #ArnoldClassic

"WHAT ARE YOU SACKING ME FOR? WINNING TOO MANY GAMES?!"

In Part Two of our exclusive conversation with former Birmingham City manager Gary Rowett, we get into some of the biggest and most controversial moments of his career at St Andrew's.

From his shock dismissal with Blues sitting seventh in the Championship to his emotional return and the heartbreak of relegation, Gary opens up about what REALLY happened behind the scenes.

He reveals the contract offer that left him feeling insulted, the moment he realised he was being sacked, and why he believes Birmingham City made some costly mistakes following his departure.

We also discuss his relationship with the Blues supporters, Gianfranco Zola's appointment, Harry Redknapp, Wayne Rooney, John Eustace and the extraordinary circumstances surrounding his return to the club.

⚽ IN THIS EPISODE:

🔹 The truth behind Gary Rowett's controversial Birmingham City sacking

🔹 Why the owners' contract offer felt like a slap in the face

🔹 His reaction when he was told he was leaving St Andrew's

🔹 The appointment of Gianfranco Zola and what happened next

🔹 Birmingham City's spending and recruitment decisions

🔹 Why Gary returned to Blues when the club was fighting relegation

🔹 The disciplinary issues he encountered during his second spell

🔹 That devastating final day when Blues won but were still relegated

🔹 The bottle-throwing incident during his return with Derby County

🔹 His thoughts on John Eustace, Wayne Rooney and modern football management

🔹 Why his first spell managing Blues remains one of the happiest periods of his career

It's a fascinating insight into the realities of football management, loyalty, ambition and the decisions that shaped Birmingham City's recent history.

💬 BLUES FANS – WE WANT YOUR OPINION!

Was sacking Gary Rowett one of the biggest mistakes Birmingham City ever made?

And could things have been different had he been given the opportunity to finish what he started?

👇 Let us know in the comments!

🎙️ MADE IN BRUM PODCAST

Celebrating the people, personalities and stories that make Birmingham and the Midlands special.

From football legends to local heroes, business leaders and extraordinary individuals, we're bringing you the conversations you won't hear anywhere else.

🤝 PROUDLY SPONSORED BY:

⚡ HELL ENERGY DRINKS

Get 15% OFF at https://hellukonline.co.uk using discount code MIB15.

🎧 LISTEN & FOLLOW MADE IN BRUM

YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts | TikTok | Instagram | Facebook

🔗 https://linktr.ee/madeinbrum

👍 LIKE the video
💬 COMMENT your thoughts
🔔 SUBSCRIBE for more exclusive interviews

KEEP RIGHT ON! 💙

A bomb scare during Birmingham City's promotion celebrations, being named more valuable than Pelé, and four decades at the heart of English football. Gordon Taylor has certainly got a few stories to tell! ⚽🔵

This week on Made in Brum, we're joined by former Birmingham City winger and long-serving Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor.

Gordon takes us right back to his early days growing up in Ashton-under-Lyne, his journey into professional football with Bolton Wanderers and his move to Birmingham City in 1970.

We revisit that famous 1971/72 promotion campaign, the characters in the Blues dressing room, playing alongside the likes of Trevor Francis and Bob Latchford, and the extraordinary events surrounding promotion at Leyton Orient.

There's also the small matter of facing Pelé's Santos, an unforgettable trip to Old Trafford and some incredible memories of football in the 1970s.

But Gordon's story doesn't end on the pitch.

He went on to spend four decades leading the PFA, witnessing football transform from a working-class game into the multibillion-pound industry we know today.

We discuss player wages, the rise of the Premier League, the changing relationship between footballers and their clubs, and the controversies surrounding his time at the PFA.

From St Andrew's to the corridors of footballing power, this is a fascinating look at a life spent in the game.

👍 Enjoyed the episode? Give it a like, leave us a comment and subscribe to Made in Brum for more conversations with the people who've helped shape Birmingham and beyond.

💬 BLUES FANS — how good was that promotion-winning side of 1972? And who remembers Gordon Taylor playing at St Andrew's?

🎙️ MADE IN BRUM

Hosted by Kevin and Chris Bagnall.

Proudly supported by HELL ENERGY DRINK ⚡

Follow Made in Brum on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X for more clips, stories and behind-the-scenes content.

Gary Rowett joins Made in Brum for Part One of an in-depth conversation about his life and career in football — and, of course, Birmingham City. 💙

Gary takes us back to his playing days at Blues, signing from Derby County, playing under the legendary Trevor Francis and being part of a dressing room packed with characters.

He opens up about the playoff heartbreak against Watford and Barnsley, his relationship with Trevor, and why he eventually left Birmingham to return to the Premier League.

Then we move into his first spell as Blues manager — taking over a side sitting 23rd after that infamous 8–0 defeat to Bournemouth, with very little money to work with.

Gary explains how he changed the atmosphere around the club, the importance of Michael Morrison, that huge Watford win at St Andrew's and how a struggling Blues side eventually climbed the Championship table.

Plus plenty of brilliant stories from behind the scenes along the way.

🎙️ GARY ROWETT — PART ONE

Part Two coming soon — make sure you're subscribed.

Available on YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts.

🔥 Proudly sponsored by HELL Energy

Get 15% OFF at HELL UK Online using code:

MIB15OFF

Paul Richardson joins us on Made in Brum for a fascinating conversation about business, Birmingham City and a life built in the city he calls home.

A Brummie through and through, Paul takes us right back to his beginnings and the entrepreneurial journey that took him from the waste industry to becoming involved with AllSaints, Gymshark and HERA.  

Of course, we talk Birmingham City.

Paul tells us how he first became involved with Blues, joining the PLC board during the David Sullivan, Karren Brady and David Gold era and experiencing promotion to the Premier League from the inside.  

We then get into his later attempts to buy the club — including the consortium that ultimately came close to taking control before the arrival of Knighthead.

Paul gives his own account of what happened behind the scenes, the due diligence, the people involved, why the deal eventually reached the point where he felt he had to walk away, and what that period was like for him personally.

As Paul puts it, Birmingham City was different:

“It was because it was Blues. I wouldn't have done any other club just for the sake of it.”

A proper Made in Brum conversation — business, football, Birmingham and plenty of stories along the way.

🎙️ Paul Richardson | Made in Brum

🌿 This episode is proudly sponsored by Flowers LTD — Landscape Gardening & Driveway Specialists, with over 25 years' experience transforming gardens, outdoor spaces and driveways across the Midlands.  

👍 Like the video
💬 Let us know your thoughts in the comments
🔔 Subscribe to Made in Brum for more long-form conversations with people from Birmingham and beyond.

Real People. Real Stories. Brum.

#PaulRichardson #BirminghamCity #BCFC #KRO #MadeInBrum #Gymshark #Birmingham

Ricky Otto's journey is one of the most extraordinary we've had on Made in Brum.

Growing up in Hackney, Ricky's early life took him down a path that eventually led to prison. But football gave him an opportunity to completely change the direction of his life.

He went on to play professionally for Leyton Orient and Southend United, before Barry Fry brought him to Birmingham City, where Ricky became part of the Blues side that won at Wembley in 1995.
And the stories are some of the best we've had.

Prison life. Being allowed out to play football. Barry Fry. Birmingham City. Razor Ruddock. Silencing the Kop. Wembley. The mistakes he made along the way — and what happened when football eventually finished.

Because Ricky's story didn't end when he hung up his boots.

He went on to work with offenders, studied theology and ultimately became a pastor in Birmingham — using his own experiences to try to stop others following the path he'd once taken himself.
PRISON. PITCH. PULPIT.

Three completely different chapters of one remarkable life.

🎙️ Ricky Otto — the FULL Made in Brum conversation.

🌿 Powered by Flowers Ltd — Landscape Gardening & Driveway Specialists in the Midlands.

👍 Like the video
💬 Tell us your Ricky Otto memories below
🔔 Subscribe for more incredible stories from Birmingham and beyond.

Barry Fry. One of football’s great characters — and there genuinely will never be another one like him.

In this special Made in Brum podcast, Barry sits down with us for a brilliant, completely unfiltered journey through a lifetime in football.

From his unforgettable time at Birmingham City, the players he signed, the deals he pulled off and the ones that got away, to the madness behind the scenes and some of the biggest characters he encountered along the way.

Barry talks about discovering and dealing in players including Ivan Toney, Dwight Gayle and Britt Assombalonga, the millions made through clever transfers and sell-on clauses, and exactly what went into his famous wheeling and dealing.

But the stories go way beyond transfers.

Expect tales of players, managers, chairmen, dressing rooms, bust-ups, unbelievable negotiations and the sort of things that simply wouldn't happen in football today.

And, as you'd expect from Barry, absolutely nothing is held back.

Funny, fascinating, chaotic and at times completely unbelievable — this is Barry Fry in full flow.

🎙️ Made in Brum — real people, real stories, proper Birmingham.

Watch the full Barry Fry podcast and let us know your favourite story in the comments.

#BarryFry #BirminghamCity #BCFC #PeterboroughUnited #Football #IvanToney #MadeInBrum #FootballPodcast