"Exciting" - Matthew Upson makes Kieran McKenna reference as he assesses Chris Davies at Birmingham City | OneFootball

Former Birmingham City man Matthew Upson discussed the recent appointment of Chris Davies at St Andrew's

Highlights

Despite relegation to League One, things are looking positive at Birmingham City this summer, both on and off the pitch.

The club's ownership group, Knighthead Capital, announced plans to move the club from St Andrew's to a state-of-the-art facility in Bordesley Park, while their recent appointment of Chris Davies is an exciting one, despite his lack of senior managerial experience.

A lack of senior managerial experience shouldn't worry Birmingham City fans, and you only have to look at Kieran McKenna at Ipswich Town, who was in the same boat to see that it's not an issue - with McKenna leading the club to two consecutive promotions.

Relegation to League One feels like the start of a new era at St Andrew's, and it's a remarkably positive time at the club, despite some of the on-field woes in recent years.

Matthew Upson delivers positive Chris Davies verdict

Former Birmingham City and England defender Matthew Upson believes that Davies is a good appointment for Blues, and has compared him to the aforementioned McKenna, who took over at Ipswich when the club were in League One.

Speaking to Football League World via Luckyblock.com, Upson, who spent four years at Birmingham between 2003 and 2007, said: "Chris Davies is an exciting appointment for Birmingham City.

"They need to bounce back and investing in young talent and playing football in the right way can help them challenge for promotion and get straight back to the Championship.

"Let's hope that Chris Davies can be as successful as Kieran McKenna in securing promotion from League One to the Championship.

"Last season didn't go to plan after a positive start under John Eustace, so this new appointment should be welcomed and with the right investment in the squad in the right way, then Birmingham City fans can look to push for promotion next season."

It's important that Birmingham City aren't complacent this summer

Depending on their summer business, Birmingham City could be well-placed to make an immediate return to the Championship, but it must be remembered that League One certainly won't be a walk in the park, and plenty of big clubs have been stuck there for a number of years.

This means that Birmingham can't afford to think of their relegation as just one season in League One before returning to the second tier next season, because they could come unstuck if that's the case.

You only have to look at other big clubs, which Birmingham are, to see that League One is not a walk in the park.

Nottingham Forest were relegated to League One in 2005, and it took them three years to win promotion. Leeds were relegated in 2007, and it also took them three years to get back to the Championship, and more recently, Sunderland spent four seasons in the third tier.

Birmingham won't want to become another of these clubs, and it's important to win promotion in their first season, as the longer they stay in League One, the more players will start to leave and the more they become a less attractive option for prospective signings.

The 2024/25 season is a huge campaign for Blues, and it's important the feel-good factor at the club translates to on-field performances.