GOING FORWARDS...

Mail's Blues men cast an eye on Davies's attacking options ahead of expected return to Championship

- By ALEX DICKEN

BIRMINGHAM City are building for the Championship with a promotion party on the horizon after a long slog of a season in League One.

Blues haven’t mathematically secured promotion but a 12-point lead on the chasing pack with 10 games to play means Chris Davies's side are all but back.

There will inevitably be a summer rebuild, albeit a much smaller one than last year, with Blues looking to compete at the right end of the second tier for the first time in over a decade. But which of Blues’ players will play a regular role next season?

Brian Dick (BD) and Alex Dicken (AD) discussed every player and put them into one of three categories. Are they 'Championship top 10 ready, 'Championship fringe players' or do they fall into the 'struggles for minutes' category?

JAY STANSFIELD

BD: Absolutely, he’s low-end Premier League at the moment. It’s not just the goals, I've been impressed with the mentality and the way he’s handled the pressure. I’ve been impressed with the variety of his finishes and with him technically.

Could he play striker more physically? Yes, potentially. He’s quite a slight young man and maybe he will play football in a more non-contact kind of way.

He has most of the abilities you would want to play low-end Premier League, I've got no issue with Jay. It’s been a good season for him, hasn't it?