Triumphant Alex McLeish today insisted leading Birmingham to Wembley is one of the proudest moments of his career and proves he can cut it with England’s big boys.

The Blues boss admitted taking Blues to Wembley for the first time since 1956 is one of his biggest achievements after their 3-1 Carling Cup semi-final win over West Ham last night.

Craig Gardner’s winner sent the hosts through 4-3 on aggregate to play Arsenal in the final and lifted the gloom over St Andrew’s with the club just a point above the Premier League drop zone. And McLeish, who lifted two league titles, two Scottish Cups and three Scottish League Cups as Rangers chief, ranks Blues’ pending Wembley appearances among them.

“It was a magnificent second-half and to walk a team out at Wembley will be one of the proudest moments of my career,” he said.

“I’ve had quite a lot of them in Scotland but you always want to try to achieve something in England to show we can live with you guys down here.

“It was a really exciting moment for me when the final whistle went in realising what myself, my staff, the players and everyone has achieved.”

The win took the heat off McLeish who has been under pressure during a stuttering Premier League season but the Scot wanted to revel in the euphoria rather than discuss his future.

“I don’t want to talk about that,” he said. “I just keep working to the best of my ability and whatever happens, happens.

“I’m not invulnerable if results don’t go our way. We are in the results business and that’s football. I’ve got to get results. I’ve got a good one tonight so maybe I’ll be here for a few days yet.”

The half-time introduction of Nikola Zigic turned the tie for Blues after Carlton Cole’s opener. Lee Bowyer, Roger Johnson and Gardner hit back but McLeish revealed his fears.

He said: “I thought at half-time ‘we are out of the cup, we have to make changes, change the tactics and approach.’

“There had to be guts from us. The first-half was a huff and puff job from us and they looked quite comfortable and Cole scored an amazing goal.”

Arsenal await on February 27 — Blues’ first major final since the 2001 — but McLeish isn’t daunted by the task.

He added: “They will be hot favourites and have been for a couple of rounds now, but you never know.”