Latest news with #ChrisDavies'
BBC News
05-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Wrexham make a point with victory in final game
Wrexham found final weekend motivation by showing they were not distracted by parties and were very much still focused on Parkinson's side beat Lincoln City on the final day, finishing the season as League One promotion-winners in second behind champions Birmingham stormed to the title earning a stunning 111 points, the best total ever in an EFL season and equalling the English system's professional record set by Parkinson's side when they jumped from the National League in were 19 points behind Chris Davies' side in the final table, but set themselves apart in history by earning an unprecedented third straight promotion with a 3-0 win over Charlton last they were still keen to finish on a high by reaching 92 points - an average two per game - with defender Ryan Longman saying: "We finished the season ten games unbeaten and to get through the 90-point barrier."All the lads wanted it because it's just a nice achievement."Manager Parkinson added: "We wanted to finish in a professional manner; the perception of the group celebrating last week, jetting out to Vegas this week, but in between that we wanted to finish the season well and 92 points in 46 games, I'm really pleased with that."
BBC News
12-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Birmingham win League One title after Wrexham draw
Birmingham City are champions of League One after Wrexham failed to win their lunchtime game at secured promotion in midweek with a 2-1 win at Peterborough and the Red Dragons' failure to take three points at the Brick Community Stadium in their goalless draw at Wigan Athletic sees Birmingham lift a league title for the first time since they won the old Second Division in Welsh side were the only team capable of catching Chris Davies' side, who are not in league action this Birmingham squad is in London this weekend ahead of Sunday's Vertu Trophy final, also against Peterborough, and which they also last won in 1995, under Barry 40,000 fans are expected to head for Wembley after celebrating the title triumph, an achievement which caps a dominant season in which Birmingham returned to the Championship at the first time of triumph further justifies the £25m outlay on transfers by owners Knighthead, who are also funding a new Premier League-standard stadium a mile from their current home at St Andrew's. Rebuild success The club set a new third-tier record by signing England Under-21 international Jay Stansfield for an eight-figure sum, and also brought in Christoph Klarer and Willum Thor Willumsson for big fees to bolster a squad relegated from the Championship last rebuild has been a success with 18-goal Stansfield currently joint top-scorer in the division, while Klarer has been central to Blues having the best defensive record in the division and Willumsson has been a key figure in appointment of Davies to his first senior role also raised some eyebrows in the summer, but that has also proved a success. Victory tomorrow will see him lift two trophies at the end of his first season as a now director of football at Peterborough, said that he believes the Blues will emulate Ipswich Town last season by going straight up again, to return to the Premier League for the first time since title charge has been based largely on their superb unbeaten home record, with 18 wins and three draws in the 21 games at St Andrew's so has been little doubt from the start that Birmingham would be in the promotion reckoning, as they won eight of their first nine and then went on an 18-match unbeaten run from November 4 to March has meant they have won the title with six games still remaining, with their next match at home against Crawley Town on Friday.
BBC News
11-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Can Posh give Fry birthday gift against old friends Blues?
It is a competition that began quietly last September as the Bristol Motors Trophy and ends at Wembley on Sunday in front of a 70,000-plus audience as the Vertu Trophy also has Peterborough United director of football Barry Fry, in the week that he turned 80, hoping to witness his Posh side beat Blues and deny Chris Davies' already promoted side a repeat of his achievement of winning the 'lower league and cup double' when he was Birmingham City manager 30 years wonder it seems more like 'the Barry Fry final'.Admittedly, though, there is a bit more to it than that. If Posh boss Darren Ferguson wins, it will be a record fourth triumph for him as player and manager in this competition - and they will become the first side to win the trophy in successive he loses, it will be a first-ever Wembley defeat for Posh, who have the best record in finals there out of the 92 clubs in the Premier League and the EFL - five out of an official 43,000-strong following of Blues fans, which could touch 50,000, and well over half that of Posh fans making the journey too, Sunday's final is once again a glorious celebration of lower league is a competition that not too many focus on at the qualifying-round stages each season, but annually gathers pace like a runaway train once the Wembley arch is in sight, just as with the old 'twin towers'.One slight spanner in the works is that there are no trains heading from Birmingham Moor Street and though Blues' Solihull heartland straight to Wembley Stadium this Sunday - due to "staff shortages"., external Blues and Posh in the Trophy Whatever happens in Sunday's final, it will mean at least one alteration to football's history books. With two previous victories each, a third will take the winners level with Bristol City's record three Peterborough's perfect Wembley record has seen them twice pick up the EFL Trophy under Ferguson in 2014 and 2024, and win three play-off finals in 1992, 2000 and 2011, the last of which was also under Posh can become the first side to successfully defend the trophy, Birmingham have an even more sensational record. They have only played in this competition five times in its many different guises in the 44 years since it began life as the Football League Group Cup in 1981 - and yet this is Blues' third final, having won it both in 1991 with Lou Macari and again in 1995. And they also won on their first visit to the rebuilt Wembley - the shock 2011 League Cup final win over Arsenal. It adds up to an overall competition record of played 26, won 21. How they got to Wembley Birmingham put a combined 11 goals past Shrewsbury Town and Fulham Under-21s but they kicked off the EFL Trophy campaign by losing a drawn West Midlands derby against Walsall on the knockout stages they were then on the road, seeing off Exeter City, Swindon Town and Stevenage before a memorable night under the St Andrew's lights against Bradford for Ferguson's Posh, they won all three of their group games, at Gillingham and then home wins over Stevenage and Crystal Palace then put out Northampton Town, Walsall and Cheltenham, all on home soil, before ruining the prospect of an all-American owned final with Tom Brady's Blues, by coming from 2-0 downto beat Ryan Reynolds' Wrexham on penalties in the semi-final at a stunned Racecourse Ground. Sunday's team news Davies will recall top scorer Jay Stansfield after rotating his squad for Tuesday's trip to London Road, when the visitors' 2-1 win clinched promotion from League his first-choice line-up has rather picked itself of late and the key questions are which two players will not make his 18-man matchday squad, for a potential chance to come off the of his back-up strikers, 16-goal Alfie May and the long-serving Lukas Jutkiewicz, have ever played at Wembley are forced into at least three defensive changes from the midweek dress Stockport County man Sam Hughes, almost an ever-present since his January move, is cup-tied, as are Tayo Edun, who played in an earlier round for Charlton Athletic, and Carl Johnston, who did the same for Fleetwood. What the managers say Peterborough United boss Darren Ferguson told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire:"When you get to these sort of occasions, you have to tell players they're not starting or, worse, they're not involved. And it's not a nice part of my job."We've got some numbers back now and I've got some tough decisions to make. We've got 21 players available - and only 18 places in the squad. And it's actually going to be tougher to pick the players on the bench than it is the ones in the starting line-up."I've already told the lads that I expect we'll use 15 outfield players. It's Wembley. A big occasion. A hot day and a massive pitch."It's great for the fans that we've got another day out at Wembley - and great for the players too. Wembley takes care of itself and you'd expect a strong performance from my team. My focus has always been on the league but I might feel a bit different when I wake up Sunday morning." Birmingham City boss Chris Davies told BBC Radio WM:"Tuesday night was something special. To go there and get promoted for sure was one of those things you never forgot. Nobody left for 25 minutes."Peterborough will be a wounded animal. They've lost at home and they will want to put that right. They've got some talent and speed. They're the fourth highest scorers in this league."But every single game this season, we've been up for it. We've not got carried away with what happened in midweek. We just want more of it. "To get a team to Wembley is one thing, to lead the team out is another. My family will be there and it will mean a lot. Anyone in this country knows what Wembley means."
Yahoo
08-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Is Birmingham vs Newcastle on TV? Kick-off time, channel and how to watch FA Cup fixture
Birmingham City host Newcastle United in the fourth round of the FA Cup tonight, with the League One leaders looking to bring an upset at St Andrew's. Chris Davies' side lead the third division by four points with two games in hand, putting them in a brilliant position ahead of the fourth round. And their advantage in the league means they can afford to put everything into trying to earn a famous upset this weekend. Live build-up: Birmingham host Newcastle in FA Cup Newcastle will still be buoyed by their 4-0 aggregate win over Arsenal in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup in midweek, with Eddie Howe's team booking their place in a second League Cup final win three years. And a likely much-changed Magpies side will want to get the business done against lower-league opposition as they continue to hunt an end to the club's 70-year trophy drought. Here's everything you need to know: The FA Cup fixture will kick off at 5.45pm GMT on Saturday 8 February at St Andrews in Birmingham. This fixture will be shown free-to-air on BBC One in the UK, with subscribers also able to watch online via BBC iPlayer. Coverage begins at 5.30pm. Birmingham XI: Peacock-Farrell; Laird, Klarer, Davies, Cochrane; Iwata, Leonard; Wright, Dowell, Anderson; Stansfield. Subs: Allsop, Bielik, Hanley, Sampsted, Harris, Willumsson, Dykes, May, Jutkiewicz. Newcastle XI: Pope; Livramento, Kraft, Burn, Targett; Bruno G., Longstaff, Miley; Osula, Wilson, Willock. Subs: Dubravka, Ruddy, Trippier, Schar, Tonali, Isak, Hall, Murphy, Neave. Wholesale changes for Newcastle, as was expected coming into today's clash. Eddie Howe switches out nine players from their Carabao Cup win over Arsenal in midweek, with ex-Birmingham loanee Dan Burn and skipper Bruno Guimaraes the only players to keep their spot. Callum Wilson is chosen to lead the line as formidable top scorer Alexander Isak sits on the bench, held in reserve in case of emergency. As expected, League One record signing Jay Stansfield is back in the starting XI for Birmingham as Chris Davies' side looks to cause an upset against Premier League opposition. Ethan Laird, Ben Davies, Tomoki Iwata and Keshi Anderson also make their returns to the lineup. Birmingham win - 9/1 Draw - 4/1 Newcastle win - 1/2 Even a much-rested Newcastle side should have more than enough for the League One leaders.
The Independent
08-02-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Is Birmingham vs Newcastle on TV? Kick-off time, channel and how to watch FA Cup fixture
Birmingham City host Newcastle United in the fourth round of the FA Cup tonight, with the League One leaders looking to bring an upset at St Andrew's. Chris Davies' side lead the third division by four points with two games in hand, putting them in a brilliant position ahead of the fourth round. And their advantage in the league means they can afford to put everything into trying to earn a famous upset this weekend. Newcastle will still be buoyed by their 4-0 aggregate win over Arsenal in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup in midweek, with Eddie Howe 's team booking their place in a second League Cup final win three years. And a likely much-changed Magpies side will want to get the business done against lower-league opposition as they continue to hunt an end to the club's 70-year trophy drought. Here's everything you need to know: When is Birmingham vs Newcastle? The FA Cup fixture will kick off at 5.45pm GMT on Saturday 8 February at St Andrews in Birmingham. What TV channel is it on? This fixture will be shown free-to-air on BBC One in the UK, with subscribers also able to watch online via BBC iPlayer. Coverage begins at 5.30pm. What is the team news? For the hosts, Lee Buchanan is the only long-term injury, with the left-back ruled out for the rest of the season. Birmingham boss Davies will hope to welcome back Paik Seung Ho after the South Korean has missed the last few weeks of action, while Willum Willumsson could also return. Tomoki Iwata made his return against Huddersfield last month, and should be fit to start once again. For Newcastle, Jamal Lascelles, Harvey Barnes and Joelinton remain the only long-term absentees. In his pre-match conference, Eddie Howe confirmed that Sven Botman will miss the weekend's match after picking up a knock against Arsenal. The Magpies boss also hinted that he would make several changes, with Callum Wilson and Emil Krafth both in contention to start, alongside William Osula, Matt Targett and Sean Longstaff. Newcastle XI: Dubravka; Trippier, Schar, Krafth, Targett; Miley, Tonali, Longstaff; Murphy, Wilson, Osula. Odds Birmingham win - 9/1 Draw - 4/1 Newcastle win - 1/2 Prediction Even a much-rested Newcastle side should have more than enough for the League One leaders. Birmingham 0-2 Newcastle.
