"Earn the right" - Birmingham City fired Darren Anderton warning with Ipswich and Sunderland in mind | OneFootball

Darren Anderton issues Blues with warning

Former Birmingham City midfielder Darren Anderton has issued the Blues with a warning following their relegation, as the club looks to bounce straight back up to the Championship.

Prior to Wayne Rooney's disastrous tenure last campaign, the St Andrew's side were looking up rather than down, as they occupied a play-off spot back in October under John Eustace's stewardship.

Many Blues supporters will feel as though their club should not have ended up in League One, but in recent years the third tier has proven to be a tough league to get out of for teams who would not have expected to be relegated.

Sunderland's example is not one which the Blues will want to follow, as the Black Cats were relegated from the Championship in 2018, just one year after dropping out of the Premier League, and took until 2022 to make their return to the second tier.

Meanwhile, Ipswich Town have been on an extremely positive trajectory since the arrival of Kieran McKenna, and will be competing in next season's top-flight following back-to-back promotions.

But Tractor Boys fans will still carry bad memories of their side's four-year stay in League One following their side's relegation from the Championship in 2019.

Anderton issues Birmingham warning

Anderton believes that the Blues' ownership group must take Sunderland and Ipswich's example as a warning that it is difficult to bounce straight back to the Championship.

Speaking exclusively to Football League World, via William Hill, he said: "Absolutely.

"You need to earn the right to get promoted.

"So if you take anything for granted, it could be a tough season.

"However, with the right attitude, support from the ownership and the fans, the team can start the season quickly and then, with good confidence, push on and enjoy a successful season."

If the Blues enjoy a successful start to the campaign, then we can expect to see them right in the mix in terms of the League One promotion battle, but as alluded to by Anderton, they can't take that for granted, and the strength of the third tier cannot be understated.

Despite enduring a woeful Championship season last term, we can also expect to see Rotherham United pushing for a second tier return given their impressive track record in League One, while the likes of Peterborough United and Bolton Wanderers appear unlikely to slip away from the promotion picture after landing play-off spots in 2023/24.

Huddersfield Town will also be looking to launch a promotion bid following relegation from the Championship, so the Blues have plenty of contestants in their quest for glory.

Summer transfer window could be vital for Birmingham

Fellow promotion contenders Rotherham have been particularly busy in the transfer market, and in order to challenge for a place in the 2025/26 Championship season, the Blues will also have to conduct successful business this summer.

So far, the Midlands outfit have only made one signing, former Hull City goalkeeper Ryan Allsop, who made 37 Championship appearances for the Tigers last season.

But given his pedigree, he is a signing who will bolster the Blues' promotion chances and the St Andrew's faithful will now hope that his signature is a sign of things to come.