“Look at the investment” – An exciting Birmingham City Premier League forecast made.
This post is part of Football League World’s ‘Terrace Talk’ series, which features personal comments from FLW Fan Pundits on breaking news, teams, players, managers, possible signings, and more.
Sometimes in life, you have to take one step back to take two steps ahead, and that is what Birmingham City fans will be hoping for right now.
The Blues are playing in the third tier for the first time in 30 years this season, having been relegated on the final day of the previous Championship season.
Despite this, the Midlands club has made significant investments in its team, spending a record-breaking £30 million this summer.
With City aiming for an instant return to the Championship after spending substantially in their playing team, we asked Football League World’s Birmingham fan analyst Mike Gibbs about the club’s prospects over the next five years.
Despite relegation to League One, Birmingham City will keep their Premier League aspirations.
During the summer transfer window, City brought in up to 17 new players to join Chris Davies’ revolution.
The most ludicrous agreement was the one that brought former loanee Jay Stansfield back to the club for good, with the third-tier team alleged to have agreed to a sum that may soar to £20 million if all-ons are considered.
Sunderland’s £4 million transfer record for Will Grigg in 2019 was significantly surpassed by this transaction.
With the significant investment made to create a team that should easily win the division, Gibbs now has great aspirations for his team’s future, with the summer shaping spree instilling fresh hope in the fan base.
The Blues supporter stated, “I can see us in the Premier League in five years, albeit it will be no easy assignment, don’t get me wrong.
“It is entirely attainable if we continue to invest in the playing team, support the manager, and play in front of a sell-out crowd.
| Jay Stansfield’s Birmingham City Stats 2023-24 – League Only, As Per FotMob | |
|---|---|
| Goals | 12 |
| Assists | 2 |
| Chances created | 39 |
| Successful dribbles | 38 |
| Expected goals (xG) | 9.28 |
Birmingham City’s summer investment may have long-term good implications.
Birmingham have signed players with a focus on the Championship, including Stansfield, who scored 12 league goals last season.
The likes of Willum Thor Willumsson, Emil Hansson, and Lyndon Dykes [shown] will all prove to be wise purchases if promotion is gained at the first attempt, with all three having top-flight experience in leagues around Europe.
The team has already demonstrated its quality by drawing with Reading on the first day and winning over Wycombe Wanderers, Leyton Orient, and Wigan Athletic this season.
With the quality currently in the team, Gibbs feels that if everything goes according to plan, his side will be contending for a position back in the top division before the decade is up.
He went on to say, “I’d argue that this squad is already championship-caliber, and if you just add more quality to it, I can see us competing very quickly.”
“I don’t think we will do an Ipswich and do a double bounce, but if we are promoted this year, have a season of consolidation, a season pushing towards the play-offs, then one or two years to get promoted seems absolutely achievable.”
After such a disastrous few years at St Andrew’s, Gibbs’ forecasts would represent a significant reversal in Midlands fortunes, having not played in the top tier since the 2010/11 season.
With so much anticipation surrounding them, Davies has a lot on his shoulders in the coming year, with few expecting them to stay in the third tier for very long.
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