Yahoo News Birmingham City sent clear transfer message as consequences of relegation become clear
The pain is still palpable. Relegation. To League One. How on earth could it have happened? What on earth can be done to get Birmingham City back on track?
With new, high-profile owners in place and plans for a super cool new stadium and “sports quarter” in the pipeline, Blues need to see this season’s woes as nothing more than a little local difficulty; an aberration to be righted at the first possible opportunity.
Well, that means next season, and the club hierarchy have already been sent a clear message about what needs to be done and how to go about it.
READ MORE: Celebrity links spark talk of Blues vs Wrexham USA clash
READ MORE: Craig Gardner's 35 transfer hits and misses as Blues are relegated
In the days after Blues dropped out of the Championship, we polled supporters on various questions around a disastrous campaign - chiefly, what was behind the relegation calamity, who shone despite the woes around the club, and what should be done this summer to try to right the wrongs of 2023/24.
It is fair to say, Blues fans did not hold back - 86 percent of respondents blamed the Wayne Rooney appointment as manager for their relegation, an error or judgement that the club hierarchy have already acknowledged.
The one shining light of the season was Jay Stansfield. The loan striker managed a clean sweep in the club’s end of season awards, and it was a similar story in our poll.
A cool 80 percent of respondents voted him as their Blues player of the season, while 77 percent believed he was the club’s best signing last summer. As for should Blues try to sign the Fulham man on a permanent deal this summer, there was an overwhelming “yes” from 83 percent of fans who voted.
Looking ahead to next season and the mission to get Blues back to the Championship, supporters are looking for big changes this summer.
More than half of respondents - 55 percent - believe between six and 10 new arrivals are needed to make Blues into a League One force, while another 27 percent say it needs to be more than 10 players. Another 18 percent reckon from one to five new players will be sufficient.
As for where those changes need to be made, again the response was unequivocal - 69 percent of respondents want to see new strikers at St Andrew’s next season. The next highest positions were centre-back (10 percent) and attacking midfielder (7 percent).
The Blues management are currently mulling over what to do with the eight players who will be out of contract this summer - so we asked supporters what they would do with John Ruddy, Neil Etheridge, Marc Roberts, Ivan Sunjic, Keshi Anderson, Gary Gardner, Lukas Jutkiewicz and Scott Hogan.
Of the goalkeepers, Ruddy is a wanted man but only on a 56/44 split of the vote by more than 2,000 Blues supporters. However, 82 percent are happy to see Etheridge move on.
It was a similar tale with strikers Jutkiewicz and Hogan - 70 percent happy to see the veteran of too many relegation campaigns try his hand in League One, while 90 percent are happy for Hogan to be shown the door.
Elsewhere, Sunjic and Anderson were both backed to stay with 61 percent of their respective vote, while Roberts (64 percent) and Gardner (77 per cent) were told their time was up at St Andrew’s.
Blues’ end of season poll results in full
What is to blame for Blues’ season?
Poor recruitment: 9%
The Wayne Rooney appointment: 86%
Not appointing Gary Rowett as interim sooner: 5%
Who was Blues’ best signing last summer?
Jay Stansfield: 77%
Ethan Laird: 2%
Koji Miyoshi: 9%
Siriki Dembele: 1%
Dion Sanderson: 1%
Krystian Bielik : 5%
Lee Buchanan: 5%
Should Blues try to sign loan striker Jay Stansfield on a permanent deal this summer?
Yes: 83%
No: 17%
In what position do Blues most need to recruit first team starters this summer?
Goalkeeper: 9%
Right-back: 0%
Left-back 1%
Centre-back: 10%
Defensive midfield: 4%
Attacking midfield: 7%
Left wing: 0%
Right wing: 0%
Striker: 69%
How many new signings do Blues need to make this summer?
1-5: 18%
6-10: 55%
More than 10: 27%
Who is your player of the season?
Jay Stansfield: 80%
Juninho Bacuna : 3%
Koji Miyoshi: 9%
Krystian Bielik: 4%
Lee Buchanan: 4%
Your verdict on Blues out-of-contract players
John Ruddy
Keep 56%; Release 44%
Neil Etheridge
Keep 18%; Release 82%
Marc Roberts
Keep 36%; Release 64%
Ivan Sunjic
Keep 61%; Release 39%
Keshi Anderson
Keep 61%; Release 39%
Gary Gardner
Keep 23%; Release 77%
Lukas Jutkiewicz
Keep 70%; Release 30%
Scott Hogan
Keep 10%; Release 90%
