What To Expect?

23 Jun 2021 | 14 comments

In Off The Post

The following article has been written by one of our Trust members.  Would you like to contribute a discussion point of your own about Birmingham City Football Club?  If so, we would be delighted to hear from you.

With this week’s release of the forthcoming Championship fixtures for the 2021/22 season, what can Blues supporters realistically expect this term? Under Lee Bowyer we can almost guarantee that there will be no tiptoeing into each game and that full commitment will be expected and seen. Players will be primed and ready. Good to know and pleasing to be there to give support from the terraces.

Question is whether we have the quality to make the new season a success. Each season there are many opinions as to what is expected by the fans, with the most popular word usually being stability. But surely it is time to ditch this almost tired and weary word, which incidentally never really materialises, and push on to fresher pastures? Brentford and Barnsley have pushed on recently and that should give hope and inspiration to everyone involved at St Andrew’s, including us Blues supporters.

Recent stories as to who might be coming in through the transfer door haven’t so far been inspiring – not even remotely – but stories they are, and hopefully they remain as such. Undeniably we are what we are…. a very modest spending club up against more wealthy Championship opponents , especially the yo-yo ones who benefit enormously by the parachute payments. This is the crunch as the longer you spend in our league, the longer you can expect to remain.  So what’s the answer and what is the strategy for a club like ours? Before opening a hopeful debate on this the overall feeling I get from fellow supporters is that of survival, with the hope of that word again….stability. Therefore back to square one. No wealth, no progress.

My own view is that a top-class scouting system can make a difference, one that is capable of producing the odd gem that can fit in immediately. Surely they are around, and not necessarily young and untried? Do we mini gamble on a lower league goal scorer who is not so young, or do we nurture an aspiring youngster who might just make it only for the big clubs to poach?

This season is about a popular new Manager at the helm with B9 support itching for some long-awaited joy, together with renewed hope, from the very first whistle. What can we expect is the burning question, and what belief do we genuinely have?

Mitchell Bray

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14 Comments

  1. Smithy

    Not happy with LB comments regarding transfer funds. Hope this blows over but rumblings of discontent already.

  2. John P

    I agree with Smithy but it seems like LB is as surprised (maybe more so) than the fans, he was clearly made a promise but it hasn’t been kept.

    As to what and who we can expect, as usual the tabloid media is doing the pre-season merry go round and Birmingham have been linked with almost as many possible player transfers as man Utd. Forget Halilovic (probably spelt wrong), if he wanted to stay at B9 he would have signed ages ago. he clearly used the club as an ongoing stepping stone to further himself.

    We need good honest get stuck in players who aren’t afraid to roll their sleeves up and I’m sure that the manager has his eyes on one or two, whether he can afford them is a different matter.

    As for end of season positioning mid table would have to be seen as a success after the past four or five years, a top half finish would be wonderful, not to be in a relegation dog fight would seem like heaven.

    Let’s not get carried away we’re Birmingham City and nothing comes easy to St. Andrews. There will be signings that fans don’t agree with, some that fans want but the manager doesn’t, others that we both want but the club can’t afford. We’ll have our problems through the new season but hopefully they’ll only be minor ones. The one big signing all fans would agree with is a new owner, one who is loyal, honest, transparent and present, one who’ll buy back our grounds and preserve our heritage; oh time to wake up, that was a nice dream while it lasted.

    One certainty for the new season, we won’t be playing Brentford for our first game. We as fans need to stick together and become more vocal more than ever, the clubs finances are in a precarious state and personally I don’t see anyone wanting to pay that much for a club that doesn’t even have it’s own home anymore. Where did all that £110m+ go?

    WE ARE BIRMINGHAM CITY ……. KRO

  3. david jevons

    we have tried just about every method possible under these Dog **** owners to get promoted so until they go it will be the same old struggles.

    • Graham

      I think after 10 grim years things finally are changing.
      There’s a new feel good feeling WITHIN the club .
      Confidence building and teamwork both on and off the pitch.

  4. Sausage n Egg

    Agree with David… These are not footballing people and have no pride in our club … The state around the ground will testify to that. LB will have to sell/ get rid before he can buy I have always thought that and with the exception of woods I am very uninspired at the names we are being linked with . We currently have too many average and lower players and replacing them with the same in the hope of finding a diamond instead of a turd is a long shot.. Either way LB deserves backing and time from us and more importantly the invisible upstairs herberts

    • WayCoolBlue

      Craig Gardner and Lee Bowyer are finalising players contracts together they are footballing people they know more than anyone about the club and what we need.

      KRO

      • Sausage n Egg

        I am referring to the people that own us that have the responsibility for the upkeep of the club and ultimate say in who gets a job or signed.. If you read my post you will see I fully back LB… If you have not been to the ground recently go take a look …

  5. WayCoolBlue

    My God you’re all doom and gloom. No clubs can spend a lot of money this season we’ve just been through a pandemic. Money is tight for everyone they are more free agents then there are players in contract.

    Being linked with a player does not mean that player is of any interest to our club.

    Woods would be a good signing. Graham would be a good signing.

    I did not take LB comments in the way people seem to have done. Everybody this season is on a level playing field we are all in it together. Every single championship club are having to cut back.

    So stop with the doom and gloom and KRO

    • John P

      It’s not doom and gloom, it’s realism

      • WayCoolBlue

        Not really it’s not really realism to complain about what money we will be spending. And not having any. Realism is realising that that’s the way it is for everyone not just us so that’s being realistic other people are not being realistic complaining about the sort of transfers we have been linked with. And the bullshit speculating within the media believing Birmingham are the only club with these predicaments just because some media outlet says it. My prediction is will be nowhere near the relegation fight next season. Craig Gardner is finalising players contracts Bowyer and him are on the same wavelength. And the signing off Graham and woods is a brilliant start. Stop the doom and gloom & KRO

        • John P

          The difference is that other clubs have suffered this due to the pandemic over the past 18 months, Birmingham have suffered this because of bad ownership and bad appointments for the past six years. It’s not doom and gloom, I agree with you that we all hope for a much better season but we all also know that things won’t improve under our present ownership.

          we all want and hope for the same thing but since this lot bought our club it’s been a non-stop downward spiral so take off your blinkers and see the real world.

          Yes we now have a good manager and a decent squad but we still have the same rubbish pulling the strings.

          • WayCoolBlue

            Dong was pulling the strings and he has gone. Craig Gardner has replaced him.

            Dong was the problem he made bad decisions he sanctioned money we did not have.

            The situation now with money is because of Covid 19 and Dongs Bad decisions and money wasting attitude.

            The owners we have may not be the best they may be terrible but we’ve never really met them. We don’t know who really owns the club but no one is going to buy the club so best we get behind everyone at the club.

            We can all kick up a stink and cause destruction but what good would it do.

            But getting behind the manager and the playing staff will do us the world of good. Pushing a bit of positivity into the club. Is by far better than drawing on the negative.

            At the end of the day we’ve got a give this new set up a chance.

  6. Sausage n Egg

    Woods is in … Pleased with that of all those mentioned (sensibly)he is the stand out…. Next in is a man with a broom a tin of weedkiller and a paintbrush!!!! Ha Ha me hearties!!

  7. Smithy

    Graham and Woods will give us respectability in terms of honest competing. We have endured too much fragility in recent times- especially under Karanka. Bowyer will not produce anything near pretty or sexy football but that’s ok. Hard team to beat and always in the game. That’s Bluesfrom now on.

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The Football Supporters’ Federation and Supporters Direct have joined forces to become the Football Supporters’ Association

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