Chris Davies on the non-negotiable signing Birmingham City had to make to ‘push the team on’

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Birmingham City are set to embark on a campaign in the Championship under their manager Chris Davies for the first time ever this season.

The Blues brought him in as manager ahead of their 2024/25 season in League One with huge expectations, and he delivered upon them as they broke the points record in the division.

Now he is up for a new challenge with the club as they look to once again aim high and battle for promotion from the Championship.

Birmingham will be part of the opening fixture for the 2025/26 Championship season, when they take on Ipswich Town on August 8.

However, Davies seemed to predict the success of the club in League One ahead of that campaign, believing one signing could ‘push the team on’.

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Birmingham City signing Alfie May was a must

Birmingham City have released their new docuseries on Amazon Prime Video, accounting for the past two seasons at the club since the new owners assumed control of the club.

The first episode explores their relegation from the Championship in 2024 before moving onto their momentous season in League One.

However, Chris Davies has pointed to the one man he knew would be key to it, Alfie May.

He said: “He [Tom Brady] had clear objectives; basically, you have to get promoted, and you have to basically win the league.

“And to do that we have to sort this team out.

“One of the biggest parts of my job was those two months with Craig [Gardner]; we spoke to so many players.

“We were looking at our squad, thinking, ‘What do we need?’ And you need to score goals to get promoted; there are no two ways about this. We have to get Alfie May.

“At Charlton, Alfie was the top scorer in the league last season. I heard great things about his character, and I also heard he was really hungry as well to make his mark.

“Prolific goal scorer in League Two, prolific goal scorer in League One, and with a chance to push the team on, so it ticked all the boxes.”

• READ MORE: Alfie May must ‘prove’ Chris Davies wrong after Birmingham City exit, Huddersfield can assure him of one thing

Alfie May on why he decided to sign for Birmingham City

May had not come through academy systems at professional clubs, as he explained in the docuseries on Amazon Prime Video.

He believed in working hard and had said he fought to reach that stage of his career in League One with Charlton Athletic, but the Birmingham City offer was life-changing.

May said: “I was actually signing for Huddersfield, and I got a phone call from my agent saying Birmingham are going to match the bid of Huddersfield.

“They offered an extra year on my contract, and me being a sort of a senior pro now at 31, years are important.

“I have never had this chance of playing in the Championship, and Birmingham have give me this chance, so that is probably why I am more of a winner than I have ever been, as there is that end goal where I could possibly win the league in League One and next year play in the Championship.”