It has been an outstanding start to the season for Birmingham City in League One.

Birmingham City has had a fantastic start to the League One season.

After being relegated last season, Birmingham is now playing in the third division of English football for the first time in nearly 30 years, but they appear to be well-positioned to return to the Championship on their first try.

With 17 new players joining, it was a busy summer for St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park. The Blues allegedly spent a total of about £24 million during the transfer window.

Birmingham lost 1-0 against Charlton Athletic prior to the international break, their first league loss of the year, although they are still two points ahead of Wrexham in second place.

With a decisive 4-0 victory against Shrewsbury Town in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday, Chris Davies’ team got back to winning ways. They will play again next Saturday when they travel to Sincil Bank to play fourth-place Lincoln City.

Although the Blues’ massive expenditures have garnered a lot of attention recently, defender Alex Cochrane was one of their less costly summer arrivals and may have been one of their best.

Alex Cochrane has had a significant influence on Birmingham City.

Birmingham broke the League One transfer record by spending a substantial amount of money during the summer transfer window, including £15 million to permanently re-sign Fulham striker Jay Stansfield.

In light of this, it is simple to understand why Cochrane’s signing from Hearts for a lower price of £1.3 million was not widely publicized, but he has undoubtedly had a significant impact at his new team.

Despite making two senior games for the Seagulls, Cochrane struggled to establish himself at the Amex Stadium and spent time on loan at Hearts, Union Saint-Gilloise, and East Grinstead Town. Cochrane started his career at Brighton & Hove Albion.

Cochrane joined the Jam Tarts permanently in the summer of 2022 after spending the 2021–22 season on loan at Tynecastle. His impressive performances for the Scottish team attracted interest from teams south of the border.

It was a victory for the Blues to persuade Cochrane to move down to League One this summer, as Burnley, who were in the Premier League at the time, Ipswich Town, and Blackburn Rovers were all interested in him, according to a January report from Football Insider.

This season, Cochrane has started all nine of Birmingham’s league games, and his attacking and defensive statistics demonstrate how well he has adapted to life at St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park.

Those numbers show how important Cochrane has been to a Blues defence that has conceded just nine league goals this season, but Davies will also be delighted with his attacking contribution, and it would be no surprise to see him register plenty more assists over the coming months if he continues to create big chances for his team-mates.

Cochrane has been one of Birmingham’s most consistent performers in the early weeks of the campaign, and he will need to maintain his standards if he is to keep his place in the team when Lee Buchanan returns from injury.

Alex Cochrane will face fresh Birmingham City challenge from Lee Buchanan

Cochrane has been Davies’ uncontested first choice left-back this season due to Buchanan’s absence since preseason, but that could change if the 23-year-old is well again.

Buchanan, who paid £1.3 million to join Birmingham from German team Werder Bremen last summer, was one of the few players to come out of their dismal relegation campaign with any recognition.

Nevertheless, Davis disclosed last month that Buchanan had experienced a setback in his recuperation from a calf injury he sustained during the preseason, but he acknowledged that he hoped his absence would not be prolonged.

Although a precise timeline for Buchanan’s return is difficult to predict, it is likely that he will be able to return in the coming weeks, which will present Cochrane with a task that he has not yet encountered while at the club.

Naturally, having two excellent left-back alternatives at his disposal is a welcome headache for Davies, and the fierce competition for spots may encourage Cochrane and Buchanan to perform at their highest level.

With his strong start to the season, Cochrane should be retained in the lineup when Buchanan returns, and at 24, he has the potential to be a key member of the Blues for many years to come.

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