Finishing top of League One with Birmingham City and making an immediate return to the Championship wouldn’t quite rank alongside winning seven Super Bowls for NFL superstar Tom Brady but it would still be a decent achievement.
The former New England Patriots quarterback is synonymous with success on the other side of the Atlantic but as a co-owner at St Andrew’s he had to watch with dismay as Blues were relegated after a nightmare season.
They started the campaign with John Eustace in charge and were looking good for at least a place in the Championship play-offs when the board decided the style of play wasn’t attractive enough and gave him the old heave-ho.
In came another global sports star in the form of former England and Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney but the club nosedived under his management and he was gone in less than three months, with Tony Mowbray being appointed as the new Birmingham boss on January 8.
The former West Brom and Middlesbrough manager had to step down less than eight weeks later for health reasons, however, with Mark Venus taking temporary charge before Gary Rowett oversaw the miserable final few days of the season as Blues were relegated.
Now 39-year-old Chris Davies has come in as Birmingham’s sixth manager in less than a year with expectations sky high even though he has never been in charge of a competitive match.
Davies has, though, gained a marvellous reputation as a coach, working with Brendan Rodgers at Leicester and Celtic and Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham, and he promises to implement an attacking, high-press approach which will go down extremely well with the 13,000 fans who have bought season tickets despite the drop in divisions.
Birmingham have been big spenders in the summer and it wouldn’t be a shock to see them recruit a couple of exciting Spurs starlets on loan before the window closes.
Criticis will point out that Bolton, Barnsley, Derby, Sheffield Wednesday and Portsmouth have all failed to return to the Championship at the first attempt but Rotherham have managed to do it on more than one occasion.
There will also be further cash available in January if necessary and although Blues will be the club everyone wants to beat, they look the best equipped to be crowned champions even at the skinny price of 2/1 with Sky Bet.
• Alfie May was League One’s top goalscorer last season with 23 goals for Charlton and his move to Birmingham means he can oblige again this season at 9/2 with Betfred and Sky Bet.
• Shrewsbury flirted with relegation last season and won’t survive the drop this time at 5/4 with Betway.
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