Birmingham City might be at their lowest ebb for 30 years, but seldom has the mood around the club been so optimistic. Despite a first season under new owners ending in relegation to League One, there is a groundswell of belief that Blues are heading back to the top.
An American investment firm, Knighthead Capital Management, took control of the club in July 2023.
After a miserable decade's toil under first Carson Yeung, who went to prison for money laundering, and then the reckless Trillion Trophy Asia, Birmingham had the promise of a fresh start and bold ambitions.
New chairman Tom Wagner and chief executive Garry Cook, the same role he once held at Manchester City, spoke confidently about aspiring to be "world class" in all areas. Regardless of how unrealistic that aim may have felt, its mere verbalisation was enough to rouse a moribund club. Hope and excitement flooded back to a disillusioned fanbase.
"I've never seen such a shift," says Daniel Ivery, a Blue who has written extensively about the club's ownership issues. "Towards the end of 2022-23, people were getting really upset. There was still that pessimism that it couldn't happen to us and then it did. The feeling was relief and anticipation. Suddenly, it was like all of our dreams were going to come true."
All of which meant May's relegation was a huge disappointment. Blues' annual flirtation with the third tier began in 2016-17 but they had always scrambled to safety, until Knighthead made one disastrous decision that would seal their fate. Sitting fifth in the table after two resounding home wins, pragmatic boss John Eustace was sacked during the October international break.
Supporters would perhaps have accepted such ruthlessness if Eustace's replacement was a manager of real pedigree. Instead, they knew that Wayne Rooney had been lined up because of his potential marketing power, and close relationship with Cook.
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