Alex McLeish was delighted with the effort of his players after Birmingham made it an unpleasant return to St Andrews for Steve Bruce with a 2-1 victory against Sunderland. Liam Ridgewell and James McFadden both netted for the home side, with the Scot coming in for praise from his boss. “I thought we deserved to win. I thought the players gave everything, in terms...

Christian Benitez returns to the Birmingham City attack for the visit of Sunderland this afternoon. Birmingham: Hart, Carr, Roger Johnson, Dann, Ridgewell, Larsson, Ferguson, Bowyer, McFadden, Jerome, Benitez. Subs: Maik Taylor, O’Connor, Phillips, McSheffrey, Queudrue, Parnaby, Carsley. Sunderland: Gordon, Bardsley, Ferdinand, Turner, Richardson, Malbranque, Cana,...

Blues welcome back ‘ol Potato head’ Steve Bruce back to St Andrews tomorrow. Steve with his oft time bust nose knew he was no oil painting and if Blues fans give their former manager a bit of stick I’m sure he won’t go bleating to the press. Blues fans are probably split on whether or not Steve Bruce should have gone when he did and why he went but all would agree...

Steve Bruce has claimed that it became ‘impossible’ to remain in charge of Birmingham City. Bruce left St Andrews two years ago after he was not given a new contract.  He returns to the club on Saturday with his new team Sunderland. “I was left in an impossible situation and nowhere to go really,” Bruce told BBC Radio Five Live. “It was...

When the team’s were announced it was obvious that protection of what senior players were still standing was more important than progress in this competition. Chucho, Bowyer, and Roger Johnson were left on the bench and youngsters James O’Shea and debutant Ashley Sammons came in along with, out of position Liam Ridgewell. After 20 minutes Blues were looking likely...

A mid-week trip to Sunderland is about as welcome as a bubble in a drip feed but that’s what the bag of balls has handed us. From Saturday’s win at Hull we have lost 2 more from the squad. Steven Carr is out again with a thigh strain and hopefully his age is not catching up with him. It was such an injury that forced him into an early retirement before being resurrected...