Jonty and Tiny

Between them they clocked up 14 years service at Blues.

Yet Damien Johnson and Martin Taylor more often than not divided opinion, or simply didn't register that much with many.

Now they have gone, almost typically slipping under the radar with free transfer moves to Plymouth Argyle and Watford respectively.

Having spoken to them in the past few days, it was clear that however they were held in the affections at St Andrew's, both left with a heavy heart.

Johnson made his debut on the left wing at Bradford City in March 2002. He was the last of the Steve Bruce promotion-winning signings from that spell.

Taylor came in during January 2004, when Blues were riding high.

Johnson was all-action, feisty, committed and played most positions without a moan. He also scored Blues first ever Premier League goal from open play at St Andrew's - remember the curler against Leeds United?

Taylor was an elegant centre-half. Not a stopper (although he firmed up in the promotion season of 2006-07), and had he been a couple of inches shorter he would probably have been a midfield playmaker, his on-ball ability was that competent.

For me, Johnson always suffered when Blues struggled, or were expected to get promotion, because he didn't have a trick, he couldn't jink past players, he didn't ping a 30-yard pass.

I will never forget the back end of the 2005-06 season when he tried, virtually single-handedly, to keep Blues from the drop.

He didn't like some of the players he was alongside - he felt they weren't really arsed, to coin a phrase - and deservedly he was made player-of-the-season.

He deeply regretted flinging the captain's armband and his shirt to the floor at the beginning of the first promotion season when he got stick, and his sending-offs, notably the one at Wigan Athletic, were poor down; he could never seem to rid himself of the angry red mist.

But let's remember the Damien Johnson who was prepared to play left-back, left wing, wherever; who carried on to the end of the game despite having his jaw smashed by Albion's Paul Robinson.

Johnson cared for the club and he wouldn't suffer fools gladly. He had rucks with Aliou Cisse and Robbie Savage on the training ground and the latter always used to slaughter him for his ability, but privately respected him for who he was and what he brought to the team.

Johnson's back problem - a fragmented disc - hampered his effectivness towards the end of his time at Blues, and he felt he had to move for fear of being left on the shelf in the summer.

The way Blues midfield has changed under Alex McLeish - more ball player than warrior - meant that Johnson's time was nigh.

Taylor, for me, always got a bit of a raw deal. Because he wasn't a flash, outpsoken individual, it was easier to leave him out.

But when he did play, either in the Premier League or Championship, he was not a liability. Far from it.

Kenny Cunningham and Matthew Upson held sway, rightly so, but Taylor hardly let Blues down when he came into the picture.

Like Johnson, he was a quiet, decent bloke who didn't hanker for the limelight. And he was intelligent company.

I remember on the 2004 pre-season tour to Germany, when we headed to the former East Germany, I was talking to someone on the coach transfer about the unification and he got his nose up from his book to join in.

Others, like Mario Melchiot, had nicked my laptop and were logging onto a website that, bizarrely, showcased huge chrome and silver spinning wheel rims. Now, where did I park that Hummer?

The Eduardo affair affected Taylor, but he never let it show publicly. When I went to his house to speak to him about it, his wife railed against journalists - mainly in Croatia - who labelled him 'the butcher of Birmingham'. That just wasn't Tiny, was it?

But he wasn't a soft touch. He confronted Arsene Wenger in the tunnel after his disgraceful comments post-match.

Johnson and Taylor won't be recalled as the greatest Blues players ever.

But in years down the line perhaps they will be recognised for their longevity, reliability, honesty and being without ago.

Both were honest servants of the club who meant well. And both were underrated, in relation to what they brought to the teams of their time, because of their low key personalities.