"Hard to turn that down" - Gary Rowett reveals insight into Birmingham City, Jay Stansfield deal | OneFootball

The former Rams and Blues boss has assessed the transfer activity at both of his former clubs

Former Derby County and Birmingham City manager Gary Rowett has offered a promising assessment on some of the transfer business conducted by Blues in the summer - including the eye-watering deal completed for Jay Stansfield.

Rowett was most-recently the interim boss at St. Andrew's @ Knighthead Park, overseeing the final eight games amid Tony Mowbray's absence from the sidelines, but was unable to keep Blues in the Championship as they were relegated to League One for the first time since 1995, seven-and-a-half years after his first spell in charge at the club came to an end.

He also enjoyed a 60-game stint in the Pride Park dugout between March 2017 and May 2018, with his final game in charge being the 2-0 defeat to Fulham in the second leg of the Play-Off Semi-Finals, before moving to Stoke City after their relegation from the Premier League.

However, the landscape of his two former clubs is vastly different now, and in particular with the club he left behind as manager for the second time earlier this year, there is excitement over what the future holds.

A player Rowett now knows somewhat well is Jay Stansfield, having seen the striker net three of his 12 Championship goals in B9 under his temporary management in the late stages of Blues' relegation season.

It was reported initially that the record-breaking permanent deal which saw him return to the Second City could see Blues part with an eventual £20m, although Birmingham Live have claimed that the eventual fee wasn't quite as high as first revealed.

Regardless, Rowett has issued an intriguing stance on the matter, as whilst he believed a deal may not have been struck, it's no surprise to him that the Exeter City academy graduate has chose to return to the club under Chris Davies.

"Looking outside of the transfers in the Championship, the one that captured the biggest headlines was Jay Stansfield's move to Birmingham from Fulham in a record-breaking deal," Rowett wrote in his Derbyshire Live column.

"I didn't think that was going to be possible because if you look at a player that's done so well as he had done last season, the obvious reaction is he's going to go to a top-end Championship club. I presume most of the clubs would have been after him.

"Most would have wondered whether they could maybe afford the deal, but what I would say is Jay loved it last year. He loved the club. What Birmingham did well was they created a real family feel and made him feel incredibly valued.

"And I think when you do that then, as a player, it's hard to turn that down.

"Birmingham are different from most clubs in League One because you feel like if they can get out of it this season, which hopefully they should, they have a real chance of kicking on again.

"It's not a surprise to me that he's gone back and it's no surprise that Birmingham wanted him back.

"But he has taken a step in his career where maybe he feels he's got to go backward in terms of division to go forward and towards where he wants to be. I think that's how Birmingham have attracted a lot of players this year.

"He's such a great lad and you will not find a player that works as hard in the division. He's definitely no prima donna. He will work his socks off for the team. With that goal ratio, and with his talent, he's a perfect signing for them."

Gary Rowett may be wondering "What if?" over Birmingham City role

Birmingham have accumulated 10 points and sit joint-top of League One alongside Wrexham and Stockport after three successive wins, despite really blowing any of their opponents out of the water as of yet.

That has come under a rookie manager in Davies, who will have to manage a team full of expensive recruits in his first ever job as a number one - which won't be easy whatsoever.

If Rowett had managed to keep City in the Championship last season though when he replaced Tony Mowbray, then he may have got the job himself - and seeing the lavish spending that occurred over the summer may make him a bit gutted that he hasn't got the chance to be a part of that mammoth haul.

When they return from the international break, Birmingham will face off against Wrexham on September 16 in what is set to be a widely-anticipated clash, thanks to the big-spending of City and the notoriety of the Red Dragons - not to mention the Tom Brady against Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney factor.