2011 - that was the year that was

Best moment: Easy, isn't it? Wembley, February 27, Blues - Arsenal, 89th minute.

Moment time stood still: See above. When the ball came back off Wojciech Szczesny to Obafemi Martins, in front of an open goal; was this really about to happen?

Loudest roar of joy: See above. Shivers still go down the spine when I remember that Carling Cup winning goal and the sheer explosion of noise from 31,500 Blue Noses. The new Wembley hasn't heard anything like it.

Most unprofessional act as a journalist: Rising from my Wembley press box seat when the ball spilled out from Szczesny and shouting '****** hell, he's going to score here!'.

Damp squib: Blues post-Carling Cup winning victory celebration. It should have taken place after the Albion game, regardless of the result, and no civic parade through the streets was a disgrace.

Foul that (thankfully) wasn't given: In the Carling Cup semi-final, fourth minute of extra-time. Stephen Carr crashing into Kieron Dyer, barrelling up the line, squaring to Craig Gardner - bang!

Best atmospheres: Wembley. Loud, proud, powerfully emotional. It meant so much to Blues fans.

Best atmospheres: St Andrew's, second-half in the Carling Cup semi-final. Raw, baying, electric. West Ham United couldn't cope. They sensed the inevitable once Blues scored.

Best atmospheres: Bruges, the whole trip. In the Market Square; in the stadium itself, I have never, ever heard a Blues away support sing incessantly without pausing for breath, like in that first-half. Memorable.

Most relaxed/enjoyable atmosphere: Europa League play-off second leg versus CD Nacional.

Worst performance: Fulham, home, penultimate game of last season. Out-played, out-muscled, out-thought. Blues looked shot through.

Heartache: The crazy last day of the season, at Spurs. Before Stephen Hunt's 87th minute goal for Wolves, Blues, playing the best they had in six weeks, were safe on goal difference.

What should have happened next: Alex McLeish resignation.

What did happen next: Carson Yeung's arrest over alleged money-laundering, BIHL's financial problems intensifying, player sales, Alex McLeish doing a bunk.

Most worrying development: See above, the subsequent worsening of Carson Yeung and BIHL's financial affairs and the lack of transparency over the whole issue.

Most often asked question: Are Blues going into administration?

Most repeated reply to a question: No, not at the moment. But the truth is, no one knows for sure - or is telling - exactly what will happen.

Most ill-judged attempt at humour in response to 'where's the money gone?' taunts: Peter Pannu wafting a wad of euros in Madeira.

Best song: While we're in Europe . . . the city is yours.

Worst song: The Carson Yeung chant.

Newspaper that took the blame for the Carson Yeung chant and stirring anti-board feeling: Birmingham Mail.

Most embarrassing boardroom manoeuvre: axing Michael Wiseman, appointing teenager Ryan Yeung.

Best player, calendar year: Stephen Carr.

Best players, this season so far: David Murphy, Steven Caldwell, Chris Burke.

Biggest disappointments: Aleksandr Hleb, David Bentley.

Unluckiest injury: Obafemi Martins stress fracture, Nikola Zigic's groin/hip. Fully fit post-Wembley, Blues probably wouldn't have been relegated.

Player who could have created history with Blues first European goal in 50 years: Steven Caldwell, who hit the woodwork against CD Nacional in the play-off first leg after 24 minutes. Then Chris Wood did the same, twice.

Player who did create history: Nathan Redmond in the return game. His goal triggered the overwhelming of the Portuguese and set in motion the whole European adventure.

Player from the summer exodus who Blues could have done with staying put: Cameron Jerome.

Most misunderstood departing player: Craig Gardner. He had to go, but the exit was clumsy and comments portrayed him wrongly.

Players with brightest futures to emerge: Nathan Redmond, Jack Butland.

Most unexpected bonus: Chris Wood's goals after the last-minute loan from Albion.

Seemed like a good idea at the time, lying on the beach: Alex McLeish's decision to quit and go to Villa.

Golden Bedsheets Award for not-so-plausible denial: Villa insisting that they didn't tap-up Alex McLeish.

Successful compensation claim: Peter Pannu's £2m - £3m for Villa tapping-up Alex McLeish and Eck walking out on his contract.

Best piece of persuasion: Peter Pannu insisting on Chris Hughton as new manager, not Gianfranco Zola.

Best picking up the pieces job, anywhere: Chris Hughton.

Abiding reflection on 2011: glory, gory, unforgettable and unlikely to be repeated.