Wembley's the dream to put end to Alfie's nightmare

WHEN this season started Alfie Chang was still months away from returning to the field.

- By ALEX DICKEN

The midfielder was omitted from Birmingham City’s pre-season campaign and Chris Davies didn’t register him for League One matches at the end of the summer transfer window.

Chang needed the best part of 18 months to recover from an horrific knee injury sustained in August 2023, meaning his comeback game only arrived in January when Blues hosted Lincoln City in the FA Cup third round.

After much deliberation, Chang was loaned out to Walsall for the second half of the season but head coach Mat Sadler didn’t use him until the end of March.

Another month passed before Chang made his first start for the Saddlers, and indeed his first since playing 90 minutes for Blues in a League Cup tie at Cheltenham two weeks before his injury, but the 22-year-old has now made five in succession and his next will come at Wembley this afternoon.

Chang is expected to anchor Walsall’s midfield in the League Two play-off final against AFC Wimbledon at Wembley.