‘He’s been an absolute monster of a purchase’: the record-breaking striker firing dominant Birmingham again to the Championship

March 13, 2025

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Runaway League One leaders Birmingham Metropolis are setting themselves up for a really Good Friday certainly.

The Blues are 14 factors away from each Wycombe Wanderers and Wrexham in second and third respectively.

After Tuesday’s 2-1 win towards Stevenage, they’re seven wins away from computerized promotion as champions no matter their rivals’ outcomes.

Birmingham’s no-so-secret weapon

Fulham squad for 2024/25 BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND - APRIL 13: Jay Stansfield of Birmingham City during the Sky Bet Championship match between Birmingham City and Coventry City at St Andrews (stadium) on April 13, 2024 in Birmingham, England.(Photo by Copa/Getty Images)

Jay Stansfield has scored 16 objectives in League One to date this season (Picture credit score: Getty Pictures)

There’s no nice secret behind Birmingham’s imminent on the spot return to the Championship.

Beneath the chairmanship of Tom Wagner and the numerous buy-in of his Knighthead Capital Administration group, the Blues have invested closely in limiting their keep within the third tier.

Craig Gardner

Birmingham director of soccer Craig Gardner was as soon as a West Midlands soccer stalwart (Picture credit score: Getty)

Birmingham play like a workforce with extra money than everybody else within the division. In Chris Davies, they may even have essentially the most promising supervisor. He’s definitely one of many sharpest.

Craig Gardner, their director of soccer, factors out that the membership recouped some cash after relegation final season. In addition they broke the League One switch report 3 times.

One-time Blues mortgage striker Jay Stansfield joined for £15 million plus add-ons, eclipsing the charges paid for Christoph Klarer and Willum Willumsson mixed.

Along with his 16 league objectives this season spearheading a promotion that’s now a easy matter of time, all indicators level to the previous Fulham man being worthy of Wagner and Gardner’s monetary religion.

“Birmingham are cantering again to the Championship this season and he’s scored 20 objectives in all competitions. He [Jay Stansfield] has been an absolute monster of a purchase for them.”
Carlton Palmer

Talking to Soccer League World, West Midlands-born former England worldwide Carlton Palmer mentioned: “Jay Stansfield dropped down two divisions to Birmingham Metropolis and has greater than justified his hefty price ticket.

“Birmingham are cantering again to the Championship this season and he’s scored 20 objectives in all competitions. He has been an absolute monster of a purchase for them.”

22-year-old Stansfield, a proud Devonian and graduate of Exeter Metropolis’s youth ranks who additionally performed on mortgage for the Grecians, didn’t rating towards Stevenage at St Andrew’s.

For the second match in a row, Birmingham had been awarded a penalty and it was taken by Kieran Dowell, however Stansfield showcased the remainder of his sport together with the deftness of contact and vibrant creativeness that finally received Davies’ facet the spot kick.

Jay Stansfield of Fulham looks on during the Premier League match between Fulham FC and Brentford FC at Craven Cottage on August 20, 2022 in London, England.

Jay Stansfield joined Birmingham from Fulham final summer time (Picture credit score: Mike Hewitt/Getty Pictures)

Stansfield can have no downside stepping as much as the Championship subsequent season. His Premier League pedigree oozes out of his sport from the standard of his first contact to the intelligence in his motion.

He’s not wanting tempo and chases something that’s value chasing however nothing that isn’t. His tenacity out of possession marks him out at League One degree.

Wycombe’s Richard Kone has scored extra in much less time however Stansfield appears to be like a certainty not solely to be taking part in within the Championship in 2025-26, however to thrive too.

“There’s little doubt in my thoughts that he takes his objectives up with him to the Championship and I imagine he’d take them as much as the Premier League as properly,” continued Palmer.

“When you had been to go and purchase a striker now within the Championship to go and get promotion, or purchase a striker within the Premier League, it really appears to be like like a steal for them.”

An exterior shot of Birmingham City's St. Andrew's stadium

Birmingham Metropolis are set for a direct return to the Championship (Picture credit score: Alamy)

The Blues’ first fixture of Easter weekend is at St Andrew’s towards Crawley City. In the event that they’re not already promoted by then, a win towards the West Sussex relegation battlers will full the job.

Davies reminded the media after the Stevenage sport that Birmingham have needed to work onerous for his or her wins however they are going to be emphatic league winners.

A division larger, Burnley received the Championship in 2022-23 with 101 factors – the identical whole that may be reached by Wycombe this season and can seemingly be outstripped by Birmingham.

It stays to be seen whether or not the same soar in competitors awaits the winners of League One and whether or not Birmingham, uniquely capable of shrug off their challengers within the third tier this season, can adapt their would possibly and strategies to a a lot harder take a look at.

In FourFourTwo’s opinion, Stansfield is succesful, rounded and harmful sufficient to verify discovering the correct striker isn’t on Gardner’s to-do record.

‘He’s been an absolute monster of a purchase’: the record-breaking striker firing dominant Birmingham again to the Championship

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