With Saturday's critical clash with Newcastle just days away, Blues fans are praying for a miracle to avoid relegation. But if a paranormal researcher from Reading is to be believed, Birmingham City fans may have nothing to fear. Dean Maynard is a 'ghostbuster' and has achieved considerable fame investigating the unexplained all over Britain.
 | | Dean Maynard |
Twelve months ago his research lead him into an entirely different field: that of assisting struggling sports teams to overcome the odds. "About a year ago I was approached by a group of Sunderland fans," he says. "They wanted me to look into a curse that had fallen on the club after striker Stephen Elliot saw a ghost at the team's training ground. "After the ghost sighting, many fans - and players - believed the club to be cursed; Sunderland lost their next home battle, had all three keepers struck down with injuries and drew with Ipswich after conceding a 92nd minute goal. Sunderland's success "I was at their next game against Leicester and their luck totally changed – they won the match after a perfectly good Leicester goal was disallowed and managed to achieve promotion that same day, thanks to other results going their way. "Most people quite rightly pointed to a coincidence in terms of me being there and Sunderland winning but I thought I was on to something, although I can't quite explain what."
 | | Steve Bruce |
Amazingly, Dean has gone on to 'help' five subsequent teams win against the odds: the Chicago White Sox won the World Series for the first time in 87 years; Darlington attained victory for the first time in eight games; and Reading achieved their first ever promotion, all apparently due to Dean's presence at the matches. Luck or a gift? Cynics will still point to a coincidence but there is no denying Dean's track record: he is 6-0 in terms of achieving success for a chosen team. So what's his secret: a lucky streak or a special gift? "I honestly don't know," he laughs. "I do have a kind of ritual that I go through before each game – carrying a lucky charm and I say the team's name nine times. It's worked every time since the Sunderland game. Mainly though, it's just thinking positive thoughts. "Whether a lucky streak then or special gift, I have a good feeling about it continuing!" Blues' chances
 | | Blues cup exit |
Either way, fortunately for Blues fans, Dean has now turned his attention to "saving Birmingham City" after his best friend – who’s family are all from the Midlands – convinced him that Steve Bruce's boys need all the help they can get. He'll be at St. Andrews this Saturday, showing his support for the Blues when they battle Newcastle. A spokesman for Birmingham City said: "Any positive support is always welcome, particularly in difficult times. I'm sure our fans will support us all the way." Fans certainly will be overjoyed if Dean's prediction comes true: "I'm edging towards a 2-1 victory for the Blues." We'll all find out on Saturday. | 
