It's No Act, Colin Loves The Blues

KEITH DIXON chats to actor Colin Buchanan about his love for Birmingham City...

COLIN Buchanan played a starring role in the long-running BBC detective series Dalziel and Pascoe for over a decade, but his love for Birmingham City has lasted a whole lot longer.

The actor, who played the part of Detective Seargent Peter Pascoe, has been a Bluenose since the 1981-82 season.

He was born in Poole, Dorset but moved to Scotland at an early age, as his father was in the Marines and their family was based in Dundee.

It means Dundee became the first team he followed (“Their rivalry with Dundee United compares with our dislike of Aston Villa,”said Colin. “Dens Park is on the other side of the street to Tannadice – the crowds might be smaller but the tribalism is just as fierce.”), though Birmingham later became his team south of the border.

“I became a Bluenose through my friend Jim Powell, who is the picture editor of The Observer,” he said. “He took me to Small Heath and that was that.

“My first game was against Manchester City which we won and another memorable victory in my early days was a Cup win at home against West Ham United.” (Note: September 19, 1981 v Manchester City won 3-0 through a Tony Evans hattrick and February 18, 1984 FA Cup fifth round v West Ham won 3-0)