“Absolutely Terrible” – Fury Grows Over John Eustace Signing After Birmingham City Twist

Birmingham City are pushing hard to return to the Premier League for the first time since May 2011, with Knighthead Capital Management at the helm and majority owner Tom Wagner continuing to strongly back head coach Chris Davies in pursuit of that aim.

The club now bears little resemblance to the Birmingham side that slumped into League One for the first time in three decades amid a turbulent opening season under the new ownership. Years of stagnation had left the Blues in need of a full reset, and that overhaul has been well underway in the West Midlands.

After storming League One in record-breaking fashion during Davies’ first full season in management, life back in the Championship has proven far more demanding. Birmingham currently sit on the fringes of the play-off places, having found consistency harder to come by at the higher level.

January saw significant squad movement, with six new arrivals – Kai Wagner, Jhon Solis, Ibrahim Osman, August Priske, Carlos Vicente and Jonathan Panzo brought in to give Blues an edge in the promotion race. At the same time, supporters welcomed the departure of several fringe players, with a number of outcasts moving on permanently.

One such exit involved Wales international Tyler Roberts, who completed a permanent switch to Mansfield Town on deadline day following an initial loan move. The 27-year-old, formerly of Leeds United, failed to make the desired impact at St Andrew’s, and Football League World’s Birmingham City fan pundit Jason Moore believes the separation suited all parties.

Roberts joined Blues on a four-year deal in the summer of 2023, arriving from Leeds in John Eustace’s final transfer window as head coach. Although the move came shortly before Knighthead’s takeover was confirmed, his time at the club was marred by injury and poor form.

A calf injury suffered on debut against Swansea City limited Roberts to just 19 appearances in a relegation campaign overseen by multiple managers, before he made only two further outings under Davies. He failed to score for the club and struggled during a subsequent loan spell at Northampton Town, netting once in 29 matches.

Since joining Mansfield, however, Roberts has found some form, scoring three times in nine appearances, prompting the Stags to secure him on a permanent deal until the end of the season. Despite that upturn, Moore was blunt in his assessment of the forward’s Birmingham spell.

Many fans had expected a proven Premier League-quality player, but Moore described Roberts’ performances as hugely disappointing, citing fitness issues and a lack of impact. He also pointed to how quickly Roberts was sidelined after Davies took charge as telling.

Roberts’ departure, along with several others, has helped Birmingham streamline their squad and reduce the wage bill. While the club’s six new signings are likely to command sizeable salaries, Blues were able to make those moves by permanently offloading players such as Roberts, Emil Hansson and Bailey Peacock-Farrell, all of whom had previously been out on loan.

Overall, the winter window has been viewed positively from a Birmingham perspective, with the clear-out of fringe players giving Davies greater flexibility as Blues continue their push for promotion.