2023–24 Birmingham City F.C. season

The 2023–24 season is Birmingham City Football Club's 121st season in the English football league system and 13th consecutive season in the second-tier EFL Championship. As with all members of the English Football League, the club's first team also competed in the FA Cup, in which they lost to Leicester City in the fourth round, and the EFL Cup, from which they were eliminated in the second round by Cardiff City.

In October, head coach John Eustace was sacked and replaced by Wayne Rooney as manager. Rooney was sacked on 2 January 2024. His successor, Tony Mowbray, stepped back from the role in February to undergo medical treatment, took formal medical leave on 19 March, and Gary Rowett rejoined the club as interim manager. Mowbray resigned on health grounds on 21 May. On 6 June, after "close to 1,000 coaches being evaluated and more than 40 being spoken to directly or through their representatives", Chris Davies, senior assistant coach under Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham Hotspur, was appointed manager on a four-year contract. It would be his first senior managerial role.

Birmingham ended the season with 50 points, which was not enough to save them from relegation to EFL League One. They finished 22nd in the 24-team table, one point behind Plymouth Argyle.

The season covers the period from 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024.

Background and pre-season

Takeover

A June 2022 attempt to purchase the club by a group fronted by former Watford F.C. owner Laurence Bassini, involving financier Keith Harris and with money reportedly loaned by David Sullivan, came to nothing. A consortium led by fashion industry businessman Paul Richardson and Argentine former footballer Maxi López announced in July that they were close to completing the purchase of a stake in the club, and later confirmed that they were providing operating funds, but pulled out in December citing a failure to agree revisions to the original terms of agreement. Richardson, López and their proposed chief executive, former Charlton Athletic chairman Matt Southall, were sanctioned by the EFL after admitting breaching regulations by taking effective control of the club without approval, and the club were deducted two points, suspended until the end of the 2023–24 season.

In April 2023, Birmingham Sports Holdings (BSH) confirmed letters of intent had been signed to sell 24% of Birmingham City plc shares held by themselves and the 21.64% owned by Oriental Rainbow, as well as the whole of Birmingham City Stadium Ltd, to Shelby Companies Ltd, a subsidiary of asset management company Knighthead Capital Management fronted by Tom Wagner, Knighthead's co-founder and co-CEO. EFL approval was forthcoming in early June, and Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKSE) approval preceded BSH's extraordinary general meeting (EGM) on 13 July that voted overwhelmingly to accept the offer. Although BSH retained 51% of the shares, Wagner confirmed that Shelby were "responsible for the operations of the club moving forward" and that "nothing about the way the transaction is structured will prevent us from obtaining the long-term goals we have for the club." The club's new board of directors included Wagner as chairman, four Shelby appointments, two BSH appointments, and Garry Cook as CEO, and considerable media attention followed the arrival of seven-time Super Bowl-winner Tom Brady as minority owner and chair of the club's advisory board.

Stadium

Work began during the 2022–23 season to demolish and rebuild the lower tiers of the Kop and Tilton Road stands, which had remained closed since late 2020 because of what was initially described as the effect of water ingress on structural steelwork and eventually revealed to be asbestos-related damage. The works at the Tilton Road end, to include installation of rail seats to permit safe standing in the lower tier, were due to complete in September 2023, and the Kop was expected to fully re-open two months later. Work stopped after main contractors Buckingham Group filed for administration in mid-August, and resumed in mid-September under the management of Mace Consult, with completion expected by the end of November. The Championship fixture against West Bromwich Albion on 6 October was used as a test event, with 834 safe standing places available for use.

Transfers

Departures included Jobe Bellingham, the 17-year-old brother of England international Jude, who joined Sunderland for an undisclosed fee, and Tahith Chong, for whom Luton Town, newly promoted to the Premier League, paid a fee reported by BBC Sport as £4 million. The release of Harlee Dean, Maxime Colin, George Friend and Kevin Long and the departure of loanees Auston Trusty and Dion Sanderson left the team with only one senior defender, Marc Roberts. Long eventually opted to accept the offer of a new contract, but the first new arrivals were both attacking players: Leeds United and Wales forward Tyler Roberts, who joined for an undisclosed fee, and Japanese international attacking midfielder Koji Miyoshi, who was out of contract at Royal Antwerp. Defensive midfielder Krystian Bielik joined Birmingham for the third time, this time on a three-year permanent contract, and Ethan Laird, a 21-year-old right back, signed from Manchester United, also on a three-year deal. winger Siriki Dembélé arrived from AFC Bournemouth on a three-year deal to replace Chong, Sanderson returned on a four-year contract and was named captain, Werder Bremen's England under-21 left-back Lee Buchanan signed a five-year deal, and after several weeks on trial, former Blackpool forward Keshi Anderson was given a 12-month contract. Later in the window, Fulham forward Jay Stansfield arrived on loan for the season, and there were three more late additions on season-long loans: Austrian defender Emanuel Aiwu from Cremonese, Cody Drameh, a right back from Leeds United, and another Werder Bremen player, Scotland international winger or forward Oliver Burke. Forward Sam Cosgrove was released from his contract to join Barnsley on a free transfer.

On the field

After the second edition of the Arthur Cup, a match against Solihull Moors in aid of children's charities in memory of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, the team had a week's training camp in Murcia, Spain, to include a friendly against Segunda División team FC Cartagena. On their return, the club played domestic friendlies away to League One clubs Northampton Town, Cheltenham Town and Peterborough United, a match at which Peterborough's director of football and a former Birmingham manager, Barry Fry, was honoured by the Football Association in recognition of his 50 years' service to the game.

The 2023–24 home kit, supplied by Nike, consists of a royal blue shirt with a navy wave graphic pattern and trim, royal blue shorts and white socks, while the away kit has a red shirt with a black graphic pattern and trim, black shorts and red socks. Both carry the logo of the club's principal partner, streetwear company Undefeated.

EFL Championship

August–October

Head coach John Eustace had regularly used a 5–3–2 formation during the 2022–23 season, but began the 2023–24 campaign away to Swansea City with a back four – Ethan Laird at right back, Dion Sanderson and Kevin Long in the centre of defence, and Lee Buchanan on the left – in front of John Ruddy in goal and shielded by Krystian Bielik and Ivan Šunjić in defensive midfield. In attack, Tyler Roberts and Siriki Dembélé occupied the wings and Keshi Anderson played in the centre behind striker Scott Hogan in a 4–2–3–1. Birmingham looked more dangerous in the first half but did not score until just before half-time, after a goalkeeping error allowed Anderson to set up Dembélé's tidy finish. Oakley replaced the injured Laird in the second half, and soon afterwards, Swansea attacked down their left and equalised. Near the end, it took a fine save to prevent Šunjić regaining the lead.

Before the first home game of the season, a 20,451 sell-out against Leeds United, minority owner and seven-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady together with new chairman Tom Wagner visited two local pubs and spoke to the players in the dressing-room. Ahead of kick-off, Jasper Carrott read an emotional tribute to club legend Trevor Francis, who had died in July. There was one team change: Juninho Bacuna, who had scored both goals in the EFL Cup win earlier in the week, replaced the injured Roberts. The first half was dull, the second less so. Both sides should have scored before Birmingham did: in stoppage time, Daniel James ran into Laird in the penalty area, and Lukas Jutkiewicz converted the kick, albeit via goalkeeper Illan Meslier's foot. The starting eleven was unchanged for the visit to Bristol City. Koji Miyoshi replaced the injured Laird after 40 minutes and opened the scoring just before the break with a volley into the top corner of the net. Bristol's Rob Dickie was sent off for a second yellow card, but his side should have equalised when Nahki Wells missed an easy chance. Birmingham made the score 2–0 after Šunjić's cross was steered home by Jutkiewicz.

At home to newly promoted Plymouth Argyle, Miyoshi and Jordan James replaced the injured Laird and Dembélé and Bacuna switched to right back. Anderson crossed for Hogan's first goal of the season after 8 minutes, but Plymouth's second-half pressure produced a 60th-minute equaliser. In stoppage time, Bacuna headed off the line with Ruddy beaten, and then – according to the Championship Goal of the Month nomination – "less than 30 minutes into his Birmingham debut, Stansfield latched onto a through ball, deftly lifted it beyond a defender and lashed a rising thunderbolt of a shot into the roof of the net." He lost out on the award to Cardiff City's Aaron Ramsey, but preserved Birmingham's unbeaten record, earning Eustace a nomination – also unsuccessful – for the Championship Manager of the Month award.

First change of management

On 9 October, with the team sixth in the table, John Eustace was sacked as head coach. The board's statement began:

It is essential that the Board of Directors and the football management are fully aligned on the importance of implementing a winning mentality and a culture of ambition across the entire Football Club. With this in mind, Birmingham City has today parted company with Head Coach, John Eustace.

and continued:

A new First Team Manager will be announced in the coming days who will be responsible for creating an identity and clear 'no fear' playing style that all Birmingham City teams will adopt and embrace.

His assistants, Keith Downing and Matt Gardiner, left the following day. Former England international player and D.C. United head coach Wayne Rooney was appointed manager on 11 October. His coaching staff included Ashley Cole, John O'Shea, Carl Robinson and former Birmingham City scout and analyst Pete Shuttleworth; Maik Taylor remained as goalkeeping coach.

Second change of management

After 15 matches – 2 wins, 4 draws, and 9 losses – with Birmingham 20th in the table, Rooney was sacked and Robinson also left. The club stated that:

Despite their best efforts, results have not met the expectations that were made clear at the outset. Therefore, the Board feels that a change in management is in the best interests of the Football Club.

Rooney himself stated:

Football is a results business – and I recognise they have not been at the level I wanted them to be. However, time is the most precious commodity a manager requires and I do not believe 13 weeks was sufficient to oversee the changes that were needed.

Professional development coach Steve Spooner took over on an interim basis, to be supported by the remaining backroom staff. He took charge of the FA Cup third round draw at Hull City, before Tony Mowbray was appointed manager on 8 January, with Mark Venus as his assistant.

After eight matches in charge, Mowbray stepped back from the role in February to undergo medical treatment for an estimated six- to eight-week period. Venus took over the team with immediate effect, but Birmingham secured just one point during the next month and were above the relegation zone only on goal difference. On 19 March, Mowbray took formal medical leave, with his return scheduled for the beginning of 2024–25 pre-season, Venus was granted leave for a similar period, and Gary Rowett rejoined the club as interim manager for the last eight games of the season. The team gained 11 points from those matches, which was not enough to save them from relegation to League One after 29 seasons at a higher level.

League table (part)

Results summary

Match results

FA Cup

As with all teams in the top two divisions, Birmingham entered the competition in the third round, in which they were drawn away to Championship rivals Hull City. The team was managed by professional development coach Steve Spooner, who was named interim manager after Rooney's dismissal. He made seven changes from the starting eleven in Rooney's last match, but still selected a strong side, with Kevin Long returning to centre-half after lengthy injury. Jutkiewicz scored with a diving header after 18 minutes, but Matty Jacob reacted first to Neil Etheridge's failure to hold Aaron Connolly's 87th-minute shot and equalised.

EFL Cup

In the first round, Birmingham won 2–0 away to League One club Cheltenham Town. Juninho Bacuna scored both goals, a deflected shot after 24 minutes and a free kick from distance 8 minutes later. When he came on as a second-half substitute, the 18-year-old Brandon Khela became the first British South Asian to play for Birmingham's men's first team. They were drawn at home to Cardiff City in the second round.

Squad changes

For those players sold, released, or whose contract ended before the start of this season, i.e. those whose contracts ended on 30 June 2023 or before, see 2022–23 Birmingham City F.C. season.

In

† Brackets round a club's name indicate the player's contract with that club had expired before he joined Birmingham.

* Signed primarily for the development squad

Loaned in

Out

† Brackets round a club's name denote the player joined that club after his Birmingham City contract expired.

Loaned out

Appearances and goals

Sources:

Numbers in parentheses denote appearances made as a substitute.

Players marked † left the club during the playing season.

Players with names in italics and marked * were on loan from another club for the whole of their season with Birmingham.

Players listed with no appearances have been in the matchday squad but only as unused substitutes.

Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; DF – Defender; MF – Midfielder; FW – Forward

References

External links

• Official website