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A Gypsy curse that has dogged Birmingham City FC for more than a century has been broken – by the upholsterer who re-covered stadium seats.

Businessman and diehard Bluenose John Baines has had the new fabric sprinkled with holy water by a priest.

After a four game unbeaten run, the club has thanked John for breaking the hex that has hung over St Andrew’s since 1906.

In an email, the club’s commercial department told John: “As well as the lift of the curse, the fact that our used substitutes, who had a major impact on the game, had a luxurious seat to warm their bottoms before coming on must have had a major impact on their performance.”

The curse was bestowed on Blues by travellers turfed off the site when work to create the new ground began.

And it has persisted despite managers’ attempts to banish the bad luck.

In the 1980s, Ron Saunders even ordered crucifixes to be placed on floodlights.

That proved unsuccessful – Blues players continued to struggle with crosses.

And in the 1990s, Barry Fry took drastic action. He urinated in all four corners of the pitch.

Now 64-year-old John, boss of KT Labels, believes he has succeeded where Barry’s bladder failed.

Since the covers were doused in holy water, Blues have beaten Norwich 3-0, Fulham 1-0 and Sheffield Wednesday 2-1. The team has also drawn 0-0 at Reading.

John said: “KT Labels reupholstered the dugout’s 28 seats. I was asked to do this job after the Norwich game on August 27 and have the seats ready for September 17, which was the Sheffield Wednesday game.

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“On August 26 I picked up the special leatherette fabric, but an Irish priest stopped me in the street.

“He said the colour or the fabric was ‘Saint Catherine’s Blue’. I told him what my the fabric was going to be used for and where it was going.

He again brought up the old tale of the gypsy curse and I asked if there was anything he could do to remove it.

“So he went over to his car, brought out some holy water and sprinkled it over my fabric.

“Now I know this is a very strange story to tell. But just look what’s happened since.”