Birmingham City urged to resist transfer action on "excellent" star - Blues told to sell international | OneFootball

FLW's Birmingham City fan pundit has been speaking on the future of Blues goalkeeper Ryan Allsop.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more...

Birmingham City look set for another busy summer of incomings and outgoings, as the club prepares for life back in the Championship.

The Blues stormed to the League One title this past season, with their record-breaking 111-point haul being an EFL campaign for the ages.

Chris Davies' side were simply miles ahead of the competition in the third tier, and already look to have a squad that can give another strong account of themselves in the second tier next term.

Given the evident ambition and hunger to succeed surrounding the football club at the moment, there will be a number of Birmingham players, perhaps those on the fringes or those heading towards the twilight years of their careers, that may feel like their St Andrew's futures are in jeopardy heading into the summer.

We asked our Birmingham City fan pundit, Mike Gibbs: 'Do Birmingham need an upgrade on Ryan Allsop for the Championship, or do you think the 32-year-old will be fine?'

Gibbs said: "I don't necessarily think we do need an upgrade on Ryan Allsop.

"He was excellent this season. Golden glove - he hardly made a mistake. You see how many mistakes Bailey Peacock-Farrell made in the first few weeks; I think Allsop made less in the rest of the season.

"I think what really impressed me, and we knew he was coming in as a ball-playing goalkeeper, but how good he was with his feet. The number of counter-attacks or attacks that he created, his calmness, but didn't try anything silly.

"Expected goals against - I can't remember many occasions where he let in goals that he should've saved. So, I'm not necessarily sure we do need to upgrade.

"What I would say is, I think Peacock-Farrell - I think replacing him with another goalkeeper who could challenge Allsop would add good competition to the squad."

Ryan Allsop's vital Championship experience should stand him in good stead to keep Blues starting role

Signed last summer from Hull City on a three-year contract, Allsop provided Birmingham with an experienced pair of hands in-between the sticks.

The 32-year-old shot-stopper has plied his trade across all four professional divisions in English football during his long and successful career.

He's spent time in League Two with Wycombe, Portsmouth and Lincoln City, and sampled League One football with the likes of Leyton Orient, Bournemouth, Wycombe, Coventry and Blackpool.

The former England youth international has played Championship football with Hull, Cardiff, Derby, Wycombe and Bournemouth, whilst also making a couple of Premier League appearances during his time with the Cherries.

As such, Allsop is a vastly experienced goalkeeper, and has proven himself to be a solid starting option at second tier level, having made over 150 Championship career appearances - per Transfermarkt.

Peacock-Farrell on the other hand, hasn't quite proven himself in the Championship as of yet, despite the Northern Ireland international having represented Leeds United and Burnley at that level, whilst also making a handful of Premier League appearances for the Clarets.

However, he's rarely been able to win, or indeed retain, the number one goalkeeper role at any of the stops he's made in his club career so far, and given his age and international prospects, finding somewhere where he can be that is surely at the top of his priorities.

Of all the positions on the football pitch, goalkeeper is arguably the one where you want the least amount of disruption. Changing goalkeepers can be a risky business, especially when you've got one like Allsop who's just banked an excellent season for Birmingham.

Therefore, Blues would surely be wise to keep hold of Allsop this summer, and enable him to build upon his superb debut season with the club in the Championship next term.