Former Birmingham City Loanee Criticises Club's Americanisation
Former Birmingham City loanee Lyle Taylor has criticised the club's Americanisation, saying it's 'not how we do football here'. Speaking on the BBC's '72+' podcast, Taylor believes that Birmingham City's American investors, Knighthead Capital Management, are attempting to take away the identity that has become synonymous with the club throughout its 151 years of history.
With the 2026/27 Championship season just a matter of days away, Chris Davies' side will be hoping to lay an early marker down when they travel to Sheffield United on Saturday. League standing (final 2025 table -- new season not yet under way): 10th in Championship, 64 pts, 17W-13D-16L from 46 games, recent form DWWDW. The number of players who have come through the door in B9 with under three weeks until Deadline Day is far less than that of 12 months ago, which has certainly split opinions.
However, what is also likely to split opinion is Taylor's assessment of Knighthead, who are certainly more than popular in this part of Birmingham. Majority owner, Tom Wagner, recently marked his third year at St. Andrew's after completing an initial deal in July 2023 to buy the club from controversial former consortium, Birmingham Sports Holdings Limited.
It has, in typical Blues fashion, been a hectic three-year period, with Knighthead's first season seeing six permanent or temporary managers take the reins as a positive start under John Eustace ended in relegation. As well as breaking the EFL's points record in 2024/25, Birmingham parted with more than £15m to sign Jay Stansfield on a permanent basis, and have since confirmed plans to move into the 62,000-seater Powerhouse Stadium as part of the upcoming Sports Quarter complex.
And, after hearing former Ipswich captain, Chambers, explain why Blues are his 'dark horse' for promotion, Taylor criticised the off-pitch philosophy in B9. 'I think, at Blues, it's very different (to Wrexham) because beyond that, sat on the board, you've got an attempted gentrify of a football club, which has never been what Blues have ever been about,' he said.
'They're trying to open restaurants in the stands and closing boxes. You just think, 'what are you doing'. This isn't America,' Taylor claimed. 'This isn't how we do football here. Just put your money into the football club, show the fans you're willing to drive the off-pitch stuff forward, and they will love and back you as an owner.'
What happened?
Lyle Taylor has criticised Birmingham City's Americanisation, saying it's 'not how we do football here'.
Why it matters for Birmingham City
Taylor's assessment of Knighthead's off-pitch philosophy is likely to split opinion among Blues fans.
What comes next?
Birmingham City will be hoping to lay an early marker down when they travel to Sheffield United on Saturday.
Goals this season: 57 scored, 56 conceded (+1 goal difference). Title race: 31 points behind leaders Coventry.
