Birmingham City haven’t had many off days in League One this season – but their 3-2 defeat to lowly Shrewsbury Town in November really hit a nerve.
Not just with supporters who were put through their one and only real ‘shock’ in the third tier, but with manager Chris Davies too. Davies was enraged by that defeat and he made no secret of his desire to put it right on Friday when he met with the press.
The Blues manager got his wish. Blues demolished Shrewsbury 4-1 in front of their own fans to record their second biggest league win of the season.
A nine-point lead over Wrexham, with two games in hand, means Blues only require 13 more points to guarantee the League One title – and that’s presuming Wrexham or Wycombe Wanderers win all of their remaining fixtures.
Promotion is inevitable
Davies and his players have stayed true to their ‘next game’ mantra. You won’t catch the Blues boss or his charges looking beyond the task at hand and that now moves to Bristol Rovers on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the rest of us are already contemplating what changes need to be made for Blues’ first season back in the Championship. Ninety points has guaranteed promotion in all but one of the last 10 seasons in League One – Blues have 86 points with nine games to play.
The question is when Blues will seal the deal. If Blues, Wrexham and Wycombe keep winning, it could happen on Easter Monday. The likelihood is that promotion will be achieved before then, but Blues might have to wait for the title.
The cheat code is back
What a difference it makes having Ethan Laird back in the starting line-up. The 23-year-old’s athleticism is unmatched in League One, making him feel like a bit of a cheat code.
Laird didn’t need long to get back into the swing of things. He was an effective outlet in the first half and kept one ball alive on the right touchline with an outrageous touch on the stretch. Thankfully, his recently repaired hamstring didn’t let up.
“Alfons (Sampsted) has done very well, especially in the recent home game that he played, but Ethan has been excellent in the last few months with his power, his speed and his runs, and what he gives us,” said Davies.
Marc Leonard played like Marc Leonard
Few performed better than Marc Leonard on just his seventh League One start in the absence of Paik Seung-ho.
Leonard was on top of Shrewsbury in the first half, occupying a high starting position to condense the pitch in the visitors’ defensive third, and ready to react to loose passes from his teammates.
He legged it back to halt a Shrewsbury counter-attack after Alex Cochrane gave the ball away and reacted quickly on the edge of the box to poke the ball away from an opponent and in the direction of a teammate.
“He’s always good,” Davies said of Leonard. “He’s a little bit different to Paik, naturally, Marc sometimes stays closer to Tomoki (Iwata) and there’s more connections with shorter passes, whereas Paik will join in more and make runs past Keshi (Anderson) on the left sometimes.
“When I’ve given Marc a job he will do it. He’s good on the ball, he tries to play forward when he can, and he’s pretty diligent when he’s without possession. I thought Marc was strong. It’s not easy coming in.”
Stansfield’s reaction to May’s goals says a lot
You could see Alfie May’s relief when he tapped home his first goal in almost three months and you could see his confidence when he rounded Jamal Blackman for his second. It’s amazing what a goal can do for a striker.
No one was happier for May than the man he replaced on the pitch for the final 17 minutes. Jay Stansfield raced over to May after the final whistle to congratulate him on ending his 16-game goal drought.
A friendly rivalry has spurred on Blues’ front men this season and May, who won the Golden Boot in League One last year, will still hope to join Stansfield on 20 goals.
When do you think Blues will clinch promotion? Let us know HERE
Don't miss your Birmingham Mail Blues at Wembley special souvenir edition
Chris Davies's runaway League One leaders face Peterborough United on Sunday, April 13 in the final of the Vertu Trophy, looking to clinch the first past of a double after a season of incredible success.
The St Andrew's all-stars return to Wembley for the first time since their famous Carling Cup victory 14 years ago.
And to mark the big day in the capital, we've produced a stunning 40-page special which is a real must for all Blues supporters.
It is packed with interviews with boss Davies and Blues' key men, including hotshot striker Jay Stansfield, as well as a look back at the club's long road to Wembley.
There's a fascinating trip down memory lane to look at the Blues' previous two wins in the Football League trophy, in the 1991 Leyland Daf Cup and the 1995 Auto Windscreens Shield, with new interviews and pictures from the two glorious days.
Buy now and have it delivered directly to your door. Alternatively you can purchase in most supermarkets, high street retailers and independent newsagents in Birmingham from April 2, 2025.
