Jay Stansfield admits there was only one club he would have accepted dropping into League One for at the start of last season — and he is very glad he did.
“I built a strong connection with the fans when I came here on loan,” the Birmingham City forward tells Sky Sports. “I fell in love with the club and I’ve not looked back since. To be accepted by a fanbase like Birmingham straight away is massive for a young player. Hearing fans cheer your name gives huge encouragement.”
That bond helped as Birmingham City emerged as one of the most promising projects in the EFL, driven by owners determined to push the club forward. But the project had a shaky start: mistakes at the top led to relegation from the Championship in 2023/24 while Stansfield was on loan. Even so, he scored 12 goals that season and won over supporters at St Andrew’s with his work-rate and determination.
The fans wanted him back, and Birmingham responded by breaking the League One transfer record to sign him permanently — an initial £15m outlay. It felt partly like a statement of intent from chairman Tom Wagner and partly like an apology for the previous relegation. Stansfield, though, focused on the club’s potential rather than the fall.
“I learned a lot with the club in League One,” he says. “It’s a great club and, as a player, you want to be involved in where this club is going. I’m lucky to be able to put the blue shirt on every week and play somewhere I love.”
There has been plenty of scrutiny around the fee. Stansfield accepts that comes with the territory but says it’s beyond his control. “When I moved back to Birmingham there was a lot of media attention and opinions about the fee, but that’s out of my control,” he says. “From a young age you just dream of being a footballer. Learning to deal with that is part of football. You have to focus on yourself, not outside opinion. I’ve learned a lot and got better with time.”
He embraced the responsibility, becoming a poster boy for the new Birmingham era and contributing strongly on the pitch — 19 goals in 37 games as the Blues claimed the League One title with a record points total. “For a young player to come to a massive club and get that exposure is huge. It’s helped me develop as a player and as a person, taking leadership in the dressing room and off the pitch,” he says. “There’s still a lot more to do. I’ve enjoyed being that sort of figure, but there are lots of big players in this team and plenty of help. I’m really enjoying it.”
Off the pitch, the club has been reinvigorated. New ownership have poured work into improving St Andrew’s and the training ground. “It’s a great place to come into every day,” Stansfield says. “The facilities are top level and that brings the best out of the players. When I first got the call about Birmingham and the project was laid out, there was no looking back. Everything that was promised has been put in place. There’s big expectation, but the club is moving in the right direction and it’s a privilege to wear the badge every week.”
Ambition was underlined by plans for a vast new stadium — dubbed the “Birmingham City Powerhouse” — a 62,000-seater set to open in 2029, larger than Anfield, the Emirates and the Etihad. Stansfield admits it will be bittersweet to leave St Andrew’s but is excited by the prospect. “The noise at St Andrew’s is special,” he says. “We get 28,000 every week making unbelievable noise. Even away they’re incredible. To think we could have an even bigger stadium with more fans is exciting. I can’t wait to walk out in front of everyone in a huge new ground. It will be great for the city and community, not just the football.”
On the field, realism is necessary. Birmingham, newly promoted, sit outside the Championship play-off places but have shown real improvement, particularly at home. Stansfield has eight goals already this season and believes the squad is beginning to click. “There’s a lot of expectation around the club at the moment, so for us it’s about going out, doing our best and playing our football,” he says. “We’ve done that really well. We’ve had results we haven’t been pleased with, but that’s part of the Championship. We’re finding our feet now and clicking together as a team and hopefully it continues.”
Stansfield’s long-term aim is clear: reach the Premier League with Birmingham. He had a taste of top-flight football at Fulham, making his debut before going on loan to Exeter the next day — an experience that taught him to manage highs and lows. “I’m in a good place now at a great club with big ambitions. The owners have faith in me to deliver each week. I’m looking forward to hopefully being back in the Premier League soon.”