Sounds like it was badly organised and restricted due to the club and the local council.
If they had the civic reception in the week maybe in Birmingham city centre then they would have had thousands but nowadays after the huge death rates at WBA, Chelsea, Arsenal, Blackpool and Liverpool civic receptions ive seen in years gone by they have decided it is unsafe.
Shame for the fans but thank God for the health and safety crusaders who have stopped what would have been a day where thousands died.