Andi Weimann: West Bromwich Albion sub's late winner gave him 'last laugh' over Blues fans
- Published
Andi Weimann reminded Birmingham fans of the score after his late winner
West Bromwich Albion substitute Andi Weimann has no regrets about enjoying Saturday's late derby winner against Birmingham City as it gave him "the last laugh" over taunting Blues fans.
"When I came on I could hear the away end singing a few words towards me and I was praying I'd get a chance to score," he told BBC Radio WM.
"I won't say the words but it was to do with me having been at Aston Villa.
"But, if you give it, you have to take. I had the last laugh on them."
Blues fans have already seen both sides of that argument this season - most notably in the space of a week just before Christmas.
Leicester City had midfielder Stephy Mavididi booked for over-celebrating his first goal in front of the home Tilton Road End when they won 3-2 at St Andrew's - after which then Blues manager Wayne Rooney generously made light of it.
Then, in the very next game, when Blues' former Exeter City striker Jay Stansfield lifted his shirt to taunt Plymouth Argyle fans after scoring at Home Park, he was reprimanded by Rooney for the gesture.
Austria international Weimann was asked whether 'giving a bit back' to the away fans had been advisable, in the current climate.
The afternoon was marred by Blues midfielder Juninho Bacuna having to report racist abuse to the match referee - and it was just six days on from the horrible scenes of violence in the Albion-Wolves derby at The Hawthorns, reportedly triggered by one fan in the wrong section of the ground celebrating a goal.
But Weimann says that the sheer joy of scoring goals - and he has netted 94 of them in his career, including one previous strike against Blues and three against Albion - is something to be rightly celebrated.
"Football's an emotional game," added Weimann. "If they give it to me, then I deserve to give it back. So, at the end I just clapped them off."
Weimann aims for first career promotion
Weimann's late winner kept fifth-placed Albion well in the hunt to make the Championship play-offs - and the chance to earn the on-loan Bristol City striker the first promotion of his career.
Albion's haul of 48 points from 29 games has them 24 adrift of leaders Leicester City, but still within reach of second-placed Southampton (61), Leeds United (60) and Ipswich (59), going into this Saturday's trip to Portman Road.
"Blues might be a bit frustrated as they hit the post," said Weimann. "But that is the Championship. It is such a tight league and one goal can sometimes swing it.
"And we now need to build on this. The one thing I haven't done in my career is to get promoted."
His winning goal was particularly well received in one small section of the ground.
"It was my daughter's sixth birthday and she was there to watch too," he said.
"She's seen me play for Bristol City. But it was the first home game she'd been to at The Hawthorns, so the perfect day, really."
Andi Weimann was talking to BBC Radio WM's Steve Hermon