Jordon Mutch and Ben Turner are both likely to have an emotional moment as they run out for Cardiff City at St Andrews on New Year's Day.
This will be a first match against Birmingham for Mutch since his £2m transfer from the Blues to Cardiff last summer, while Turner was a regular spectator at St Andrews as a schoolboy.
Derby-born Mutch, 21, spent five years playing for Birmingham and had a taste of Premier League football during that period, including matches at Old Trafford and Goodison Park.
"All of my family are Blues fans,” says Birmingham-born Turner, who played against his favourite childhood team for Cardiff in last seasons 1-1 draw.
"I always supported Birmingham City as a boy, having grown up in the era when Trevor Francis was manager. I hardly missed watching a game."
Steve Bruce, Tony Cottee, Andy Legg and Darren Purse were all Birmingham City players when Turner went to St Andrews at eight and nine years old to cheer his team.
"My family are all from the blue side of Birmingham," said Turner.
Today, both Mutch and 24-year-old Turner, who signed a new extended City contract in December, look likely to start for the Bluebirds as they aim to start the new year as they finished 2012.
City won all three matches over the festive period, while they take on Birmingham having collected 10 points from a four-match unbeaten away run.
Mutch will surely partner Peter Whittingham in central midfield with Aron Gunnarsson rated doubtful after suffering a lower back injury and going off during the 1-0 win against Millwall, while captain Mark Hudson and Turner will link up at centre-back.
The two players were among Mackay's top targets when he took over during the summer of 2011 and was delighted to snap up both.
The Bluebirds manager believes both will Premier League football in the future, saying: "Jordon is a top player with great potential for a big career in the game. He is young and we want him to fulfill his promise with Cardiff.
"Ben has all the potential to be a top, top centre-back."
Gunnarsson is among 'two or three' players in the treatment room during the build-up to this afternoon's match and Mackay says: "They have knocks and bruises off the back of the Millwall match and we are assessing those."
The City squad as a whole spent yesterday recuperating after Saturday's win, going through video analysis and the game plan against Birmingham rather than spending too much time on the training pitch.
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