Birmingham City has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent months. More than 20,000 season tickets have already been sold for the upcoming Championship campaign, and another 14,000 supporters are waiting on the list. The area around St Andrew's is now dotted with fan parks, and the excitement in the city feels almost tangible.
Club officials have laid out ambitious plans to re‑link England’s second city with the football team that carries its name, hoping to unlock the full potential of both. Supporter groups are springing up across the globe, a phenomenon that can be traced back to the arrival of Tom Brady, whose presence has added a new layer of international interest. Everywhere you look, the conversation is about preparing the club to be ready for a return to the Premier League. With such an ambitious ownership group and a fanbase that has been starved of success for years, it is no surprise that Birmingham City feels a sense of urgency.
The buzz brings with it heightened expectations, not only from within the club but also from the wider football community. Everyone senses that the Blues are on a trajectory toward something bigger, yet the reality of building a sustainable side still requires patience.
Looking back, last season may have been more of a breathing‑space for the club rather than a sign of lost momentum. To put the recent performance in context, you have to travel back 14 years to the 2011/12 season, when Birmingham were still competing in European competition—a far higher finish than the 10th‑place position they secured in 2025/26. "It was our first season back, which people found hard to remember at times," Birmingham manager Chris Davies told Sky Sports ahead of the opening league fixture against Sheffield United.
He wasn’t referring to the supporters—who he described as "great"—but to the entire club ecosystem. Davies carries a considerable weight of hope on his shoulders. "One thing I learned is that I can handle the highs and the lows," he continued. "I can handle the ups and the downs." The lows were few, however, as Birmingham clinched the League One title with a record‑breaking 111 points, dominating matches with a possession‑based style that left opponents chasing shadows.
The step up to the Championship proved far more demanding. "You can read about the Championship, but living it is something else entirely," Davies admitted.
The second tier of English football posed different questions, and the Blues did not always have the answers. Their original game plan, which had worked wonders in League One, was only partially effective against tougher opposition. "We came up from League One playing total football, keeping the ball around 80 per cent of the time, circulating it constantly and dominating possession.
That approach served us well because we controlled games for the majority of the time," Davies explained. "In the Championship we tried to stay technical in our recruitment, signing smaller, more skillful players and attempting to replicate that style.
Some days it clicked, other days we lacked the physical punch, especially when we were away from St Andrew's." In that light, a hard‑fought Carabao Cup victory over Swansea—where Birmingham held only 39 per cent of possession but still found the net—was a morale‑boosting sign that the team had begun to incorporate new elements into their play. The match‑winner, 22‑year‑old Danish striker August Priske, was a January signing who seemed to have adapted quickly to the rigours of the Championship. The same youngster had also scored the opening goal in a recent friendly against Barcelona at a packed St Andrew's, endearing himself to the fans.
"Jhon Solis, Carlos Vicente and August arrived together, and those six months they have spent here have been their induction into English football and the Championship. They are now ready to go," Davies said.
Vicente, a combative Spanish winger, supplied the assist for Priske’s goal at Swansea, while Solis, a Colombian midfielder, also found the net against Barcelona and has quickly become a fan favourite. Both add a physical presence that complements Priske’s aerial threat.
Reflecting on the previous season, Davies stressed that the next step would require a greater emphasis on physicality. "The modern game involves a lot of man‑to‑man pressing and set‑piece battles.
You need the stamina and strength to compete in those areas," he noted. That philosophy has already shaped the summer transfer window.
In addition to the winter arrivals, Birmingham have signed centre‑back Dael Fry, a 6‑foot‑4‑inch defender with close to 300 Championship appearances. The expectation is that his experience and aerial dominance will help the side transition more smoothly between possession play and a more direct, pragmatic approach when needed. Davies is not looking to discard the identity he has built.
"When you have a team that can keep the ball, it is easier to switch to a more pragmatic or direct style than if you only know how to play that way," he explained. This tactical flexibility began to surface toward the end of last season. In mid‑April, the Blues found themselves hovering around 17th place, but a brief international break gave Davies the chance to experiment with a more direct style and to focus on transitions and set‑pieces.
"I started thinking about being a little more flexible with our shape and positioning, emphasizing quicker transitions and set‑piece opportunities. We finished the season playing that way," he said. The adjustment paid off, as Birmingham closed the campaign with a five‑game unbeaten run, securing a top‑10 finish and a boost of confidence heading into the summer. Davies is keen to retain the pressing game that served them well.
"We don’t want to lose what we’re good at. The pressing we employed last season was effective, even if we didn’t execute it perfectly every time," he remarked. He believes that once the team wins the ball back, they can use that momentum to launch faster attacks and win more set‑pieces. To that end, Birmingham have appointed specialist set‑piece coach Scott Fry.
Davies sees dead‑ball situations as a clear avenue to turn the Blues into genuine promotion contenders. The impact is already evident: Solis scored from a set‑piece against Barcelona, and Priske’s winner at Swansea originated from a corner that Vicente delivered. "We need to score around 70 goals to be among the top teams, and we only managed 57 last season," Davies admitted.
The top six clubs in the Championship each hit that 70‑goal mark, highlighting the gap Birmingham must bridge. However, Davies believes the target is realistic.
"If we can get six or seven goals from set‑pieces and a few from quick counter‑attacks, we only need two or three more from open play. That makes the goal‑target achievable," he said. The club’s confidence has grown not just on the pitch but also off it.
At the training ground, Davies has stripped away the buzzwords and gimmicks that once adorned the walls, opting for a leaner, more focused environment that mirrors the squad’s mentality. Continuity is becoming a hallmark of this iteration of Birmingham City.
While director of football Craig Gardner has departed, the club has leaned on veteran Mike Rigg to maintain stability. Commercially, Birmingham continues to expand, now boasting the highest revenue among Championship clubs without relying on parachute payments. Having weathered a turbulent period and now stabilising, the next chapter for Birmingham City feels within reach. "I am confident we can keep progressing.
The key is to keep moving forward and getting stronger," Davies concluded, encapsulating the optimism that now permeates the club.