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 a further 14,000 supporters are waiting on the list. The area around St Andrew's is now dotted with fan parks, and the atmosphere around the stadium feels electric. The club’s leadership has outlined an ambitious vision to reconnect the city of England’s second largest metropolis with the football team that bears its name, hoping to unlock the full potential of both.
Supporter groups are sprouting up across the globe, a phenomenon largely credited to the arrival of Tom Brady, and the conversation among fans and pundits alike is increasingly focused on whether the Blues can become a genuine Premier League contender. Given the lofty goals set by a forward‑looking ownership group and a fan base that has been starved of success for years, it is no surprise that Birmingham feels a sense of urgency. The excitement surrounding the club brings with it heightened expectations, both from within the organization and from the wider football community.
Yet, as many observers remind us, building a sustainable, top‑flight side takes time. In hindsight, last season may have been more of a breathing period for the club rather than a sign of lost momentum.
To put the recent performance into perspective, one must travel back to the 2011/12 campaign, when Birmingham were still competing in European competition. That season remains the last time the club finished higher than the 10th‑place finish achieved in 2025/26.
"It was our first season back, which people found hard to remember at times," manager Chris Davies told Sky Sports ahead of the opening match against Sheffield United. He was not referring to the supporters – "they have been great" – but to the entire club ecosystem, which is now carrying a weight of hope and ambition.
Davies reflected on his own learning curve, saying, "One thing I did learn was that I can handle it. I can handle the ups and downs." The previous year had been relatively smooth, as Birmingham clinched the League One title with a record‑breaking 111 points, dominating matches through 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 feeling it is something different," Davies admitted.
The second tier of English football posed new tactical questions, and the club’s original game plan – a direct continuation of their League One approach – only occasionally delivered the desired results. "We came up from League One playing total football, keeping the ball 80 percent of the time and circulating it constantly. It worked brilliantly because we controlled games from start to finish," he explained. "In the Championship we tried to stay technical in our recruitment, signing smaller, more skillful players and applying the same style.
Some days it clicked, other days we lacked the physical punch, especially away from home." That blend of technical finesse and physical robustness was on display in the opening Carabao Cup tie against Swansea, where Birmingham secured a narrow 1‑0 victory despite holding just 39 percent of possession. The winning goal came from August Priske, a robust 22‑year‑old Danish target‑man who joined the club in January and quickly adapted to the pace of the Championship. Priske had also found the net against Barcelona at a packed St Andrew's a month earlier, underscoring his growing importance.
Davies praised the winter signings, noting, "Jhon Solis, Carlos Vicente and August arrived together and, after six months of learning what English football and the Championship are like, they are now ready to contribute. They have all performed exceptionally well." Vicente, a combative Spanish winger, supplied the assist for Priske’s goal at Swansea, while Solis – a Colombian midfielder who also scored against Barcelona – adds both creativity and physical presence in the middle of the park.
Looking ahead, Davies believes that physicality will be a decisive factor in the club’s next step forward. "The modern game involves intense man‑to‑man pressing and a heavy emphasis on set‑pieces.
You need the stamina and strength to compete on those fronts," he said. That philosophy has already influenced the summer transfer window. In addition to the winter arrivals, Birmingham have secured the services of centre‑back Dael Fry, a 6‑ft‑4‑in defender with close to 300 Championship appearances. The club expects Fry to integrate swiftly and provide the aerial dominance and defensive solidity that have sometimes been lacking.
Davies is careful to stress that these additions are meant to complement, not replace, the style he has already cultivated. "When you have a team that can keep the ball, it is easier to shift to a more pragmatic or direct approach when needed, rather than being a side that only knows how to play pragmatic football," he explained. The shift toward a more direct style actually began in the final weeks of the previous season. Sitting 17th in mid‑April, Birmingham used the brief international break to experiment with a tighter shape, quicker transitions, and a greater focus on set‑pieces.
The changes paid off, as the Blues finished the campaign with a five‑game unbeaten run, securing a respectable top‑10 finish and a boost in confidence heading into the summer. "It is a fine balance because we don’t want to lose what we’re good at. What I won’t give up is the pressing. I don’t think any team in the Championship last season consistently played through our press, and it was very effective for us," Davies noted.
He added that the team will continue to refine its approach, aiming to win the ball higher up the pitch and transition more swiftly into attack. One concrete step in that direction has been the appointment of specialist set‑piece coach Scott Fry. Davies sees dead‑ball situations as a realistic avenue to turn Birmingham into genuine promotion contenders. The impact is already evident: Solis scored from a free‑kick against Barcelona, and Priske’s winner at Swansea originated from a set‑piece routine involving Vicente.
"We need to score around 70 goals to be among the top teams, and we managed 57 last season. If we can add six or seven from set‑pieces and a couple from quick counters, the gap narrows dramatically," Davies said.
"That makes the target absolutely achievable." The club’s confidence is growing. Players who were newcomers to the Championship now have over 40 games of experience, having learned the nuances of away fixtures at venues like Millwall. At the training ground, Davies has stripped away the buzzwords that once adorned the walls, opting for a leaner, more focused environment that mirrors the squad’s mentality. While director of football Craig Gardner has departed, the club leans on the seasoned Mike Rigg to maintain continuity.
Commercially, Birmingham continues to expand, boasting the highest revenue among Championship clubs without relying on parachute payments. Having weathered a turbulent period and now stabilising, Birmingham City stands on the cusp of its next chapter. Davies summed up the prevailing sentiment: "I am confident we can keep progressing. The key is to keep moving forward and getting stronger."